Rodney E “Pap” Rhone

Rodney was born February 15, 1934, in Bloomsburg PA, the son of the late Murrell Rhone and Margaret (Meeker) Rhone. Rodney was the husband of the late Emily May Rhone who passed away in December 2000.

Rodney was a hardworking man his entire life he entered the workforce at an early age. Rodney was a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard for about 5 years in his early adulthood. One of Rodney’s first jobs was at Magee carpet, where he worked for several years. Rodney enjoyed operating heavy equipment and worked for several different construction companies. He was employed by A. C. Hack and Sons, Zeisloft Construction Company, and Susquehanna Valley Construction Company. Rodney enjoyed operating heavy equipment; he operated such equipment as backhoes, excavators, bulldozers and the crane. The crane was by far the favorite piece of equipment that Rodney operated, and he became so proficient with the crane that even after his retirement in May of 1996 he was requested by Susquehanna Valley Construction Company to operate a crane on several jobs over the years till about 2014.

From an early age Rodney enjoyed hunting and fishing and did so his entire life. He also enjoyed teaching hunting and fishing with his grandsons and great grandchildren. Rodney loved to tell stories of his life about his early childhood, adult years and his retirement. There was endless stories and anecdotes that Rodney had experienced over his lifetime, and he enjoyed sharing them.

In retirement Rodney enjoyed conversation and visiting with his friends that he had acquired over his lifetime. One of his favorite pastimes in retirement was watching Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and Gunsmoke. And if he wasn’t watching one of them, he was watching whatever old time western happened to be on GRIT TV or the INSP channel. Rodney loved to spend time in the park feeding peanuts to the squirrels.

In addition to his late wife Emily May, Rodney was preceded in death by his parents and tw0 Sisters: Catherine Breisch and Jacqueline Rhone.

Rodney is survived by 2 daughters; Vicki (Raymond) Hadley of South Dayton New York and Debra Welliver of Bloomsburg PA. He is also survived by 4 grandsons Rodney (Heather) Kingston, Jeffrey (Valerie Kingston, Brandon Welliver and his companion Autumn and Brock (Karlie) Welliver. He is also survived by 9 great grandchildren: Hunter, Levi and Cole Kingston, Blake Kingston, Ayden Bauer, Victoria Bowes, Jordan May Welliver and Brylie Jo and Beau James Welliver. He also has a surviving sister Donna Stackhouse of Berwick PA.

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Rodney will be laid to rest in Numidia PA next to his loving wife Emily.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the VanRensselaer & Son Funeral Home, 14 Church Street, Randolph New York. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in his name to the American Cancer Society or the Wounded Warrior Project. To leave a condolence: www.vanrensselaerandsonfuneralhome.com.