Obituary of Rodney Gene Roth

Rodney Gene Roth, 80 years old (of Bridgewater, SD), passed away unexpectedly at his farm on February 9, 2024. Funeral service will be Friday, February 16 at 10:30 am, with visitation beginning at 9:30 am, at Salem Lutheran Church in Parkston, followed by a luncheon. Burial will follow at Wolf Creek Congregational Church Cemetery (intersection of 428 Ave and 274th St). 

Rodney was born in Freeman on January 16, 1944. He was the third child of Ida Sophia (Schoppert) and Elmer Fred Roth. Rodney attended country school at Gross District 64 and later Freeman High School (graduating in 1962). He married Renee Christensen (of Freeman) in 1964, and three daughters were born of this 28-year union. The couple started out in Tyndall and Yankton and then moved to Minneapolis where Rodney attended Dunwoody College of Technology, graduating in 1967 with a certificate in tool and die making. Rodney worked with metals for three years before returning to SD in 1970 after his father’s farm accident and taking over the family farm in 1973. Many things brought joy to Rodney’s life, including the church, nature, hunting, trapping, backpacking, playing darts, watching the Vikings, and spending time with loved ones. In 1981 he helped found Hope Lutheran Church (Freeman). Later he volunteered with the M-2 Program that helps prison innates integrate back into society. Most recently, he started gardening and donated fresh vegetables to the Diamond Care Center in Bridgewater. 

Rodney was proud in the last years of his life to have read his Bible cover-to-cover twice.  Ater his death, his fiancé found a letter tucked inside the Bible in which he wrote to his children, grandchildren, and friends. The opening paragraph of that letter reads: “My backpacking, hunting, and trapping gave me a chance to be close to God’s creation. Nature brings me back to reality, what it’s all about. Seeing how the animals, plants, insects, birds, and seasons are in such harmony with each other, the way everything is planned out, depending on each other for survival. Only someone like our Holy Father could have planned something so beautiful and balanced as this.” 

The closing of his letter reads: “I’m sure I can’t describe God’s final journey we all will see. His promise, where we meet all our loved ones that have gone before us, those to come. Where I’ll have all the time and patience for my children, grandchildren, mother and father, and close friends. So after all that, I hope nobody is sad when that day comes. Laugh and be happy for me and my final journey. My lungs will be full of oxygen, my legs will not tire, and my joints will not ache. And if I should stumble, I’m sure a hand will guide me. Love, Rod (your dad, your grandfather, and friend).” 

He was in the process of retiring and was making plans for the future. He had recently obtained a passport and,having just sold his cattle, he was actively planning visits to family near and far. On the day he died, he and Donna had gone to the Parkston Wellness Center to workout, had lunch at the Dugout in Tripp, drove around scouting out potential turkey hunting locations, and was eagerly awaiting his turkey hunting license (which arrived the next day). 

Rodney is survived by his three daughters (Lori Lassen, LuAnne Roth, and Lynae Roth and husband Joel Dombovy), his fiancé Donna Fauth (of Bridgewater) and her children (Kyle Tucker and Joel Fauth and wife Krystal Fauth), his brother and sister-in-law (Kenny and June Roth), his three nieces and nephews (Karla Rebo, Craig Roth, and Suzette Oolman), and his five grandchildren (Nathan Lassen, Hannah Lassen, Kahlil Roth-Folly, Kellen Dombovy, and Kaden Dombovy) and five step-grandchildren (Cora Tucker, Brystel Tucker, Jaxsen Tucker, Ava Fauth and Mya Fauth). Rodney is also survived by the mother of his children along with his second wife (Debbie Cable) and her three children. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister (Phyllis Giedd), and two nephews (Mark Giedd and Bryan Roth). 

Memorial donations may be made to South Dakota’s National Wildlife Turkey Federation, 13424 Stoney Creek Trail, Sturgis, SD 57785. https://your.nwtf.org/members/donate/