Rodney B. Dyerly passed away peacefully on June 18, 2012.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ruth Mary; daughters Linda Dyerly,
of Dune Acres, Ind., Cindy Halsey (Phil), of Fulshear, Texas and son Dave
Dyerly (Kelli), of Chelsea, Michigan.
Rod is remembered as a loving grandfather to Amy Simcox (Steve),
Indianapolis, Ind.; Shelby Halsey, Fulshear, Texas; Joel Dyerly (Laura),
Manchester, Michigan, and Warren, Nick and Talia Dyerly, Chelsea, Michigan.
Born in Pratt, Kansas on March 12, 1931, Rod was the only child of Eileen
and Donald Dyerly. His father died in 1945. Rod then helped his mother run a
laundry in Pratt for several years.
After graduating from Kansas University in 1953, Rod entered law school. The
Korean conflict saw him on active duty for two years as an officer in the
U.S. Air Force. Later he was retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Major.
In 1955 he married Ruth Longwood of Stafford, Kansas. Rod finished law
school to become a trust officer with the First National Bank of Kansas City
Missouri. In 1964, as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate
law, Rod joined a Gary law firm, which became Thomas, Burke, Dyerly & Cuppy.
He was a member of the Indiana, Missouri, Kansas and American Bar
Associations.
Following in his father’s footsteps as a volunteer fireman, Rod served as
fire chief of Dune Acres for several years. As such, he opened fire trails
in the surrounding dunes, which are still in use today.
After retiring in 1989, Rod and his wife traveled extensively with Mike and
Pauline Severns of Maui, Hawaii, to do exploratory diving where Rod used to
say, “No man has gone before.” From these travels the book, Tropical
Seashells, was published.
Two books were authored by Rod on the WWII B-29 Pratt Army Air Base, which
was located just north of his hometown. These books are sold as revenue for
the present Base Memorial. His interest in airplanes was a passion he passed
on to his son, a commercial pilot, as well as his son-in-law and grandsons.
Rod never met a stranger. He loved to meet and talk to everyone. His quiet
and loving way was a gift to all who knew him.
A celebration of Rod’s life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, at
the Ogden Dunes Church, 116 Hillcrest Rd., Ogden Dunes, Ind. There will be
no prior visitation. Interment will be at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Pratt,
Kansas on Monday, June 25, at 11 a.m.
The family would like to thank those responsible for the loving care Rod
received from AseraCare Hospice in Valparaiso as well as the Whispering
Pines Health Care Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Rod’s name to either the
Department of Development - Alzheimer Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First
Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 or to the endowment fund at the Ogden Dunes
Church.
Arrangements are
under the direction of White-Love Funeral Home, 525 South 2nd St.,
Chesterton, IN. For more information please call 219-926-1309.
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Posted 6/20/2012