Rodney Wilson

RODNEY WILSON

Hopkinton

Rodney Wilson, 91, died peacefully Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014, at the Good Neighbor Home, Manchester, surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the Buck Creek Methodist Church. Interment in the Buck Creek Cemetery, with military honors. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Wednesday at the church. The Rev. Kathleen Moore will officiate at the services. Goettsch

Funeral Home, Monticello, is in charge of the

arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, a

memorial fund has been

established.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Surviving is his wife, Jean; three daughters, Carolyn (Ron) Parkin, Cedar Rapids, Patty (Dennis) Erikson, Manchester, and Connie (Steve) Henderson, Monticello; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; his sister, Elda Landers, Manchester; and a brother, Roger (Jan) Slater.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Ralph.

Rodney was born Feb. 21, 1923, on the family farm in Hazel Green Township, Delaware County, Iowa. He was the son of John O. and Bessie E. Hill Wilson. He graduated from the Buck Creek High School and then attended Lenox College. Rodney went on to serve in the United States Army during World War II. He was an ambulance driver landing in the second wave at Normandy and was at the liberation of the Mauthausen labor camp in Austria.

Rodney returned home to farm in Hazel Green Township. He married Jean Ehlers on Aug. 24, 1947, at the Buck Creek Methodist Church. Rodney worked at the Swiss Valley Cheese Plant in Hopkinton for several years as well as farming and then drove a school bus for the Maquoketa Valley Schools for 39 years. He retired from bus driving in 2004 and from active farming in 2005.

Rodney was a lifelong member of the Buck Creek Methodist Church and served on many of its committees and boards.