In Memory of Rodney Newman: Support His Loved Ones

Hello. My name is Jennifer. On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, my world forever changed. My love, my husband of almost 28 years, and the greatest daddy to the kids, passed away at home unexpectedly. He was my everything from husband, best friend, comedian (all the time), daddy to his children and many other children that were friends of our kids, wonderful brother, the best handyman you could ask for. He was my nurse whenever I had surgeries or was sick. He didn’t mind helping me as long as I first showed him how to do it. He has a tattoo on his arm, and it reads RN. He would tell all the nurses and doctors that he was an RN. He definitely got a kick out of saying that. We are raising funds to cover house bills and many other bills that are now all my responsibility any help is appreciated.

This man knew no stranger. He would help anyone who needed help. If the kids or a friend called in the middle of the night and needed anything, he would be there to do whatever he could. We’ve had so many messages left about how when our kids were younger, Rodney was known as the neighborhood dad because he was always helping the kids with their bike's or putting air in the tires. If there were issues with kids, he would try to sit and talk to them. The kids' friends only called him Rodney for a little bit. He was known as dad to all.

We had just gotten back from a wonderful vacation with our daughter and her boyfriend Zach the Saturday that began this nightmare. He had so much fun. If you knew Rodney, then you knew he didn’t sit down much. He took his rip stick on vacation and was riding it in the parking lot across the street in the rain. He was taking my boogie board and was in the ocean playing around. He would sit on the handlebars of a bicycle and ride the bicycle backward. As my son said, he was the youngest 72-year-old he’d ever known.

Rodney rode motorcycles, rode rip sticks, and if he saw any rip sticks for sale, he would try to buy them and add them to his collection. He would find bikes in the garbage, or people would give them to him. And he would redo the bike, make it safe, and then give it to a kid who may not have had a bike. That’s just the type of person he was.

Rodney worked at Recto Molded Products in Oakley. He was there for 30 years until he retired a few years ago. He and my mom worked together. He was known as Big Rodney because there were two Rodneys there. He would do odd jobs to help my mom out. I met him when he was at her house fixing something. My daughter was about 2.5 years old, maybe a little older. Anyways, he sat on the porch with my mom talking, and Bre would just be playing out there, and he would take her doll out of the high chair and replace it with a football. Well, Bre wasn’t a fan of that and threw the football into the yard and proceeded with a word my mom used all the time (BS). Kids pick up everything. Anyways, after those days, Bre would be so happy to see Rodney coming over to see my mom. He would work on whatever she needed and then sit for hours talking to mom and playing whatever Bre wanted him to play. We decided to get married on 12/9/1997 because I loved him, and he loved me, and the thing was that he loved my daughter. I used to always tell him he loved Bre first and then me, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I knew that he would protect her like a dad should. She called him dad because he’s the one that taught her how to ride a bike, how to skate, how to drive. He was there to protect her if she ever needed it. He sat her down after we got married, and she said, 'Can I call you daddy?' and he told her sitting on the steps that she could call him whatever she wanted. Big Rodney, Roddie (her nickname because she couldn’t really say Rodney), and she said daddy. He told her that she had a daddy and all that, but she looked at him and said, 'I have a daddy now that lives with me and mommy.' Broke my heart and made me happy at the same time. From then on, he was known as daddy. And let me tell you, he was so proud of the name daddy. He loved all of his children.

Over the last few days, I’ve heard him described as many things, but the ones that stick out are neighborhood dad, friend to all, handyman for everything. He used to joke and say he was a jack of all trades and master of none. Well, I’d have to say he mastered how to be a husband and a daddy.

Though he retired from his job of 30 years around 3 years ago, he would still stop in and see many of his friends at work.

He was the healthiest person I knew, and to have him pass so unexpectedly has shocked everyone. It feels like we’re living a nightmare right now and praying that we’re going to wake up.

Rodney didn’t have any life insurance, so we are having to pay out of pocket. His 5 children and myself are working to get the funds together. All of the children and myself have decided to go a little untraditional. We’re going to have a private family viewing. We don’t think he would want people to see him how we saw him last. We want everyone to remember him how he looked the last time you saw him. We will be having a visitation-type get-together at a church where his ashes will be and where we would love for people to come up and tell your stories to all so that we can experience the joy that Rodney brought into everyone’s life.

I haven’t been able to work full-time since April. I had my first foot surgery on April 11th, and I wasn’t even able to bear weight until 5 weeks after surgery. I thought I’d be back to work right after I was able to walk, but because of the metal from the screws not being compatible with my body, I’ve only been able to work a few hours here and there. I’m also going in to have the screws removed on August 22nd and won’t be able to work for the two weeks after that. If I thought I were able to postpone the surgery, I would, but unfortunately, with the amount of pain I am dealing with, that’s not an option.

If you would like to donate, every little bit adds up, and it would be greatly appreciated.

At this moment, it all seems so surreal. I feel like I’m going to see him walk through the door, or he’s going to tell me I need to put my foot up. I know that will never happen again, and I’m having the hardest time wrapping my head around all of this. The what-ifs, the I should’ve done this or that. The biggest one, what if he would’ve just woken me up that morning. I know they say it’s not healthy to think about that, but truly I can’t get it out of my mind.

Again, if you feel like you can donate, we would greatly appreciate it. There are still other bills that I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to pay also. Thank you all in advance. We greatly appreciate everything. And for the people making the food, it has taken so much off of us to not have to think about cooking. Thank you.

His service and celebration of his life will be held on August 30, 2025 at The Baptist Church at 6944 Main Street in Newtown, Ohio 45244. From 3-6 pm. Please stop by if you’re able to. We would like to hear as many wonderful fun loving stories as possible. Thank you everyone in advance.

Rodney didn’t have any life insurance so we are trying to do what we can to make sure the bills are paid. If you’re unable to give please don’t hesitate to stop by and just tell us how much he meant to you. God bless and thank you.