Richard Rodney

Col (Ret) Richard M. Rodney, 92,  died at UPMC Carlisle on April 29, 2022.  Dick was born in Canandaigua, New York to the late Elizabeth (McCarthy) and Raymond Rodney on March 30, 1930.

He was educated at St. Mary’s Parochial  and the Academy, both in Canandaigua, New York.  A Distinguished Military Graduate of Niagara University (1952) he took commission in the Regular Army and commenced a career which lasted over 33-years.  He retired from the U.S. Army as a Colonel in 1985 and from the PA Emergency Management Agency, Commonwealth of PA in 1995.

During his military career he graduated from the Infantry Basic and Advance Courses, the Command and General Staff College,  the Army War College, the Army Language School (Russian), the Army Russian & East European Institute, the Foreign Service Institute (Bulgarian), and Columbia University – Russian Institute.  He served in command and staff assignments in Korea (1953-1954), Hawaii (1954-1956), Germany (1962-64) and Vietnam (1968-1969).  Colonel Rodney became a specialist in Soviet and East European Affairs and served in the U.S. Army European Headquarters, Heidelberg, Germany (1962-1964), the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C. (1966-1968 & 1972-1975), Army War College Department of National & International Security Studies (1975-1982) and  as a military attaché in Moscow, USSR (1970-1972) and as the Defense and Army Attache, Sophia, Bulgaria (1982-1985).

He received numerous awards and decorations including: Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 3), the Legion of Merit (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (1 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal (1 OLC), Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Service Stars), United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal,  Army Commendation Medal, Parachute Badge, Ranger Tab, Overseas Service Bars (3), Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and,  Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm (Chung My 2d Class).  At PEMA, Colonel Rodney served as a planner, planning supervisor and as Special Assistant to the Director.  He was an active volunteer in chapel and childrens’ sports activities at Carlisle Barracks and in retirement from the military he was active in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the Carlisle Rotary, the Cumberland County Honor Guard, and the Retired Officers’ Association.

Colonel Rodney enjoyed golf and tennis and for the past several years he loved to play duplicate bridge at the Harrisburg Bridge Club.

Surviving are his wife, Kathleen (Ohlmann) Rodney and son,  Lt. Col. (Ret) Christopher Erik Rodney , 2 grandchildren, Summer and Taylor Rodney of Carlisle and a sister ,Mary Anne Knopf ,  of Canandaigua, NY.

Mass of Christian Burial  will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Church, Marsh Drive at 11:00 AM. on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Visitation will be at the church from 10:00 AM until time of Mass.  Military Honors by the Cumberland County Honor Guard will follow. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial contributions be made to the St. Patrick’s Shrine Church  Fund, 152 E. Pomfret St. Carlisle, PA 17013.

On line condolences at www.ronanfh.com.