John William Roden

Mr. John William Roden

Mr. John William Roden, 92, passed from this life Friday, October 6, 2017 at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

He was born December 6, 1924 to John Henry Roden and Annie Mae Cline in Tuscumbia, Alabama. He moved to Blytheville in the 10th grade and graduated from Blytheville High School as Salutatorian. During his high school years, he was selected to be the government’s interpreter for the Secretary of Agriculture from Argentina. After graduation, he worked at the Blytheville Air Force Base as the warehouse manager at the Post Exchange. Enlisting in the Army during World War II, he was a Topographical Photolithographer assigned to Central America to make maps for the U.S. Government for uncharted territory in Panama. He was awarded the Victory Medal for service during war time. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve. He was sponsored through the First Baptist Church in Blytheville as an Ambassador for Christ throughout his military career.

In 1947, he entered Florence State University in Alabama and graduated with majors in Biological Science (Pre-Med), History and Education. In later years, he furthered his education under the request of the government with a Master of Science through the University of Oklahoma after completing extensive research regarding Histoplasmosis Capsulatum. His research information was requested by governments of multiple countries.

After graduation from college, he began a career as a chemist at U.S. Steel Company in Birmingham, Alabama. With family residing in Arkansas, he made trips home. On one such trip, he met the love of his life at a masquerade party. After dating for several months, he drove home in the middle of the night, shone his lights in the window of the future Mrs. Roden, woke her and proposed. She said ‘yes’ and they married on June 26, 1951. They lived in Birmingham in their early years, but moved to Blytheville when he received a call from L.H. Autry, a member of the House of Representatives of Arkansas, offering him a position as high school principal and science teacher at Burdette Schools in Burdette.

His teaching/education experience included one year at Gosnell, 13 years at Burdette and 19 years as Mississippi County Supervisor of Schools. During his years in office as County Supervisor of Schools, he was selected to help the U.S. Government develop a National Computer Record System for Migratory Student’s Academic and Health Records. Helping to develop the system included having the first computer data terminal in the nation in his office for which national access was developed. In conjunction with the program, he co-authored a book titled Migratory Guide to Learning Book through the State Department of Education.

He was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in Blytheville where he served many years as a Sunday school teacher. As a long time Rotarian, he was recognized and received the Paul Harris fellowship award. He served in several capacities to include Secretary-Treasurer and Scholarship Committee and Trustee. He was the official GED Test Agent for Mississippi County and administered over 400 tests per year to county residents and Blytheville Air Force Base Personnel. He served as Vice Chairman for the Arkansas Rural Endowment Student Loan Committee and was a lifelong member of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators and Arkansas Association of School Administrators.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-father, Henry Gargis; sister, Paula White; and a special niece, Marlene Patillo.

John leaves his wife of 66 years, Eloise Roden of Jonesboro; three children, Donna (Steve) Brister of Jonesboro, John (Connie) Roden, Jr. of Hendersonville, North Carolina, and Rebecca (Butch) Caviness of Bono; eight grandchildren, Len (Angel) Whitehead of Blytheville, Sean (Stephanie) Brister of Alma, Jennifer (Demian) DeHoet of Bel Aire, Kansas, Melody Mooney of Jonesboro, Eric (Chasity) Caviness of Crawfordsville, Indiana, Paul (Dee) Brister of Collierville, Tennessee, John (Melanie) Roden, III of Richmond, Kentucky, and Brandy (Johnathan) Cowan of Jonesboro; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 10 at the First Baptist Church Chapel in Blytheville with Dr. Max Briley officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time at the First Baptist Church Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches, P.O. Box 3964, Batesville, Arkansas, 72503 or to First Baptist Church, 715 West Walnut, Blytheville, Arkansas, 72315. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cobbfuneralhome.com.