Rodney L. Edington

Rodney L. Edington, 90, Marysville, died Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, Seneca. Visitation was held Friday, September 4 from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary, Marysville. A funeral service was held 9 a.m., Saturday, September 5 at the Memorial Presbyterian Church, Marysville. Pastor Shannon Borgman officiated. Gina Miller played the piano and Carla Wolfe was the soloist. Music included Beethoven's "5th Symphony" and the hymn "This Is My Father's World". Burial was in the Marysville City Cemetery. Rodney was born April 17, 1930 in the east bedroom of his family home at 1104 Laramie Street in Marysville. He graduated from Marysville High School on May 28, 1948. Rodney attended Kansas State University from 1941 to 1951 with his favorite class being taught by Milton Eisenhower, Man in the Cultural World. During summers he worked with his mother’s family in Pocatello, Idaho on the Union Pacific railroad as part of the “track gang.” Following college Rodney enlisted in the United States Air Force on September 21, 1951 for 3 years 10 months and 17 days. Rodney traveled to Okinawa and South Korea and worked on a half section of an F86D. Rodney moved to California and attended UC Davis in 1954 and obtained an Animal Science degree. He then transferred to Berkley University and pursued a degree in Sociology. He wanted to become a Unitarian minister but didn’t accomplish that dream. He was married to Bonnie Morel in 1965 and they met through the “Scientific Marriage Foundation.” They wed in New Orleans, Louisiana. They divorced 16 years later. Rodney had a passion for rabbits and raised several hundred of them in New Jersey and while also living in Arkansas for research facilities. He wasn’t ambitious enough to go out and market them so eventually he lost them. In his later years Rodney moved to Pennsylvania and worked for the Department of Health completing rabies exams and viral isolation of animals. The last 5 years of employment in New Jersey he worked for a water treatment plant and did routine chemistry. He obtained this job by taking a placement test and with no experience he outscored the 13 other applicants that had applied. In 2003 Rodney moved back to Marysville to his childhood home when his mother died to occupy the residence. He had a love for politics and enjoyed staying up into the early hours watching Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity. Twice a week he enjoyed listening to Laurence Welk and loved everything from the classical music of Beethoven’s 5th symphony to musicals including his favorite, The Sound of Music by Oscar Hammerstein. He always wanted to change his name to Roderick because it sounded more profound. Preceding him in death were his parents, W.G. "Rod" and Virginia (Moran) Edington; and sister, Lydia Spencer. Survivors include nephews, Mark Spencer, Wade Spencer and Shane Spencer. A memorial fund is established and will be designated later. Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rodney L. Edington, please visit our flower store.