Lain, Rodney Arthur 1934-2009

LEIN, WHITE, PETERSON, HARTZ, BARCLAY, HAITH, MOSS, FISCHER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcirber
Date: 7/23/2017 at 15:30:02

Rod Lein
Ankeny IA

Rodney Arthur Lein, 74, passed away January 15, 2009 following a short but valiant battle with melanoma cancer at his home in The Villages, Lady Lake, Florida where he was surrounded by his loving family. Visitation will be Thursday, January 22, 2009 from 5 – 7 PM at Ankeny United Methodist Church with services at the Church Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10 AM. Burial will follow at the Lincoln Cemetery, Alleman. Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, is in charge of arrangements.

Rod was born in Des Moines and was a lifetime resident of Ankeny. He was a proud graduate and stand-out athlete of Ankeny High School where he excelled in football. Rod married his high school sweetheart Dolores White. He and Dee went on to have a lifetime of adventures which included raising a family of five children, several careers and many incredible achievements. Rod has chronicled those in a book entitled “Life Is a Challenge”. In the same book, he has also published his stories in the world of women’s basketball, entitled “SWISH” which began with coaching the LOOK Magazine AAU teams, Grand View College Women, Simpson Women and was the first general manager, co-founder and coach of the first professional women’s basketball team in the WBL (Women’s Basketball League) the Iowa Cornets. Rod’s entrepreneurial spirit always led him back to construction and developing which he did for many years in Ankeny. He and Dee were the builders of several projects in Ankeny including Oakwood Terrace, Mallard Creek Townhomes, Maplewood Village, Briarwood Golf Course and Mill-Pond Retirement Campus. He also started The Ankeny Today newspaper and owned First Realty of Ankeny. Earlier tasks for Rod and his family were a Laundromat, meat locker, The Gourd Café among others. Rod’s constant claim was that he always loved his endeavors and had never felt that he worked a day in his life. In the past few years Rod and Dee had enjoyed traveling back and forth, from Florida to Iowa and visiting with family and friends along the way. His generous nature allowed him and Dee to be benefactors to the athletic programs at Grand View, Simpson, Elkhart Men’s Softball Complex and many other organizations. Besides coaching, Rod was a licensed official for baseball, softball and basketball. Rod and Dee were also proud of their Ankeny roots and were wonderful friends and contributors to the Ankeny Historical Society.

Rod is survived by his loving wife Dee and their five children: son, Ken Lein of Olathe, KS, daughters, Judy (Rick) Peterson of Huxley, IA, Deb (Ron) Hartz of Ankeny, IA, Karen (John) Barclay of Coon Rapids, MN and Laurie (Steven) Haith of Evans, GA; brother, Lowell and sisters, Dee Moss and Marsha Fischer; 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

The family is most grateful to the medical staffs at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, The Villages Regional Hospital and Leesburg Regional Medical Center for their care, concern, compassion and love during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to The John Stoddard Cancer Center, c/o Iowa Health Foundation, 1440 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309. www.HamiltonsFumeralHome.com ~ The Hamilton Funeral Home, Des Moines, Iowa 15 Jan 2009