Rodney Dean Vlotho 1934-2009

RICKLEFS, VLOTHO, DAY, PURVIS, EVENSEN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 3/7/2009 at 21:05:55

Rodney Dean Vlotho

Rodney Dean Vlotho, 74, of rural Lansing and Harlingen, TX passed away Friday, February 13, 2009 at his home in Harlingen, TX. Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 19 at 11 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon, with Rev. Lynn G. Groe officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing. Friends may call from 4:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, February 18 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Rodney, the son of Orville and Nora (Ricklefs) Vlotho, was born December 7, 1934 on a farm in rural Ireton. He graduated from Ireton High School and received a civil engineering degree from South Dakota State University. He served two years as a commissioned officer in the Army, stationed in Washington, D.C.

After discharge from the Army, he was employed by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). Rod fell in love with the Mississippi River and northeast Iowa when he accepted the position as District Maintenance Engineer based in Decorah. Later he was the Winneshiek County Engineer; followed by various other Iowa county engineer positions, retiring from Scott County in 1997.

Many on the Mississippi knew Rod as "Rott'n Rod". He and his wife Shirley had traversed every lock on the Mississippi on his Sea Ray named the "Rott'n Rod". He had also cruised the Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and Illinois Rivers and Lake Michigan. Rod also enjoyed many weekends at the family cottage on Lake Okoboji.

For many years, Rod enjoyed fishing in Canada and duck and goose hunting in Stuttgart, AR. He still enjoyed turkey hunting in Allamakee County. Winters were spent in Harlingen, TX, where Rod loved The Rose Garden in Progreso, Mexico, and looking for treasures on Boca Chica Beach where the Rio Grande River flows into the Gulf. He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon and a 40-year member of the Elks. Nearly 25 years ago, in an outdoor chapel in Hardin County, Rod and Shirley Day were married.

Rod is survived by his wife, Shirley of Lansing; three children, Dan Vlotho of Lewisville, TX, Vicki (Terry) Purvis of Gladbrook, and Kathy (Robert Jr.) Evensen of Cedar Rapids; five step-children, Rhonda McCollough of Knoxville, TN, Gayla (Kenneth) Sessa of Lee's Summit, MO, Alicia (Darrin) Petty of Chattanooga, TN, Derrick Wedlund of Millington, TN, and Staci (Jerry) Carroll of Thomaston, GA; one sister, Cynthia (Jerry) Johnson of Alcester, SD; one brother, Dennis (Sharon) Vlotho of Green Bay, WI; three grandchildren, Hillary, Tanner and Gage; step-grandchildren Justin, Jamie, Nicole, David, Samantha, Andrew, Derrick Jr., Jeremy, Sabrina, Toni Nicole and Kristyn; and four nephews, Brian, Steven, Scott and Douglas.

The Waukon Standard, February 18, 2009
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