Rodney L. 'Rod' Wade

MASON CITY: Rodney L. Rod Wade, 70, of 9 Stony Way, died Saturday, January 10, 2009 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Celebration of Life services will be held 10:30 AM Wednesday at St. James Lutheran Church, 1148 4th St. SE with Pastor Paul C. Nelson and Pastor Jeni Bohls officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue and continue at the church one hour before services. Memorials may be given to St. James Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa. Rod was born June 12, 1938 in Mason City the son of Floyd E. and Esther M. (Matthews) Wade. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1956, attended Mason City Junior College, Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, and the University of Iowa, Iowa City. Rod was united in marriage to Darlene M. Thompson August 12, 1961 at St. James Lutheran Church. He worked for Marshall and Swift as a route driver for several years before going to work for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for 22 years, where he worked in several positions. At the breakup of the Bell system in 1984, Rod was transferred to AT & T. He worked for AT & T for 3 years before starting his own company, North Iowa Communications. He retired in 2001. He was a very active volunteer throughout the years for various organizations. Rod became a child of God through Holy Baptism on October 2, 1938 and confirmed his faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior on March 18, 1951 at the First Presbyterian Church, Mason City. Rod was a long time active member of St. James Lutheran Church.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Darlene; 3 sons, Jon Wade and wife Kris of Katy, Texas, Jim Wade and wife Cindy of Decatur, Georgia, Jeff Wade and wife Celeste of Goliad, Texas; 5 grandchildren, Michael Wade, USMC, Julia, Isabella and Emma Wade of Goliad, Texas, Luke Wade of Katy, Texas; brother, Bob and wife Norma of Columbia, Missouri; 2 sisters-in-law, Irene Thompson of Clear Lake and Deloris Schroeder of Apache Junction, Arizona; special nieces and nephews.

Rod was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Esther Wade.