Rodney Wayne Pender

Rodney Wayne Pender, born on September 16, 1949 in Jacskon, Michigan, to the late Dorothy Louise (Perry) Whitney of Mason, Michigan and the late Verle Pender of W. Palm Beach, Florida, passed away at age 68 on April 29, 2018 in Jackson, Michigan. Rod was married to the late Linda Joyce (Hurttgam) Pender for 41 years. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Pender. Rod is survived by his daughter, Wisty Pender of Nashville, Tennessee. He is also survived by siblings and their spouses living in Florida, Michigan, Maryland and elsewhere... sisters, Pamela (Pender) Haynes, Julie (Whitney) Smith, Susan (Whitney) Palmer, Susan (Pender) Bond, Becky (Pender) Covert, and Lisa (Pender) Cohen; brothers, Doug Pender, Michael Pender, and David Pender; and aunt, Geneva (Perry) VanValin of Jackson, Michigan. He also leaves behind a most adored, Bean the Dog, not to mention many other family and friends. Rod loved giving advice (solicited and unsolicited), reading (everything!), music, walking (preferred the beach, but most recently at Cascades and Ella Sharp parks), travel, and trying and cooking new foods. He was a deep thinker with the driest sense of humor whose (sometimes) curmudgeon-y exterior belied a genuinely, deeply caring person.

In their 41 years together, Rod and Linda lived in Florida, Michigan, Texas, Tennessee, and travelled the US and Canada for several years to see what they could see. They were entrepreneurs and had multiple businesses together over the course of their lifetimes Their businesses included selling Native American-made jewelry, an adult foster care home, striping parking lots, polishing travel trailers, sales and promotions, and a closed advertising agency.

The memorial service will also include a memorial for Linda Joyce (Hurttgam) Pender. She was born on February 23, 1950 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the late Billie Joyce (Grantham) Hurttgam, and passed away at age 61 on March 10, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. She is survived by her daughter, Wisty; father, Robert Hurttgam of Lake Port, Michigan; sisters, Paula (Hurttgam) Ferguson, Lori (Hurttgam) Loding, Lisa (Hurttgam) Schmidt and their respective spouses, all of Michigan, as well as family and friends. Linda was an artist at heart, writing and illustrating in particular, an expert on the Elizabethan period, had a penchant for quantum physics, a warm heart and a hardy laugh.

Friends and family are welcome to the memorial service to celebrate the lives of Rod and Linda on Friday, July 6, 2018 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. for the more formal portion) at The Granary at Ella Sharp Park, 3225 Fourth Street, Jackson, Michigan, 49203.