Rodney Brown passed away on October 31, 2018. He was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on July 30, 1935 to Dewitt and Eleanor Brown. Rodney was the middle child of three boys, older brother Richard Brown and younger brother James Brown. Shortly thereafter, the family settled in New London, Ohio, a small, rural town southwest of Cleveland. Rodney graduated from New London High School in 1953 where he played football and was president of his senior class. After high school, he enrolled at Kent State University for his freshman year. In 1954, he transferred to Baldwin-Wallace College (now University), a small liberal arts college in Berea, Ohio. While at Baldwin-Wallace, he was active in the fraternity Alpha Tau Omega and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. After Baldwin-Wallace, Rodney pursued a Masters Degree in Physical Education at Springfield College in Massachusetts. Upon graduation in 1958, he entered the Army and attended basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. While in the Army, he trained in the Counter-Intelligence Corp at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was then transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where his first child Jeffrey was born in 1961. Upon discharge from the Army in 1961, Rodney began a long career with the YMCA beginning in Cleveland, Ohio. In January 1964, his second son Chad was born. Tragically, in February 1965, his son Jeffrey died of cancer. In July 1968, Rodney's third son Daryn was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Shortly afterwards, the family moved to Plainfield, New Jersey, where Rodney commuted to New York City where he worked for the West Side YMCA until 1975. Thereafter, he worked at several YMCA's in Massachusetts, Texas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. Rodney was loved by many. He was preceded in death by his parents, younger brother Jimmy, and his son Jeffrey. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Chad and Allison Brown of Dallas, and Daryn and Beth Brown of Carver, Massachusetts, and five grandsons: Forrest, Peyton, Carson, Zachary and Travis, and former spouses Enid Hollister Crowell and Gloria Jenkins Brown.

A memorial service will held Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 10:00 am Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas Texas. Memorial donations may be made to your local YMCA.

___________________________________________________________ A Signature Service under the direction of: Aria Cremation Service & Funeral Home 10116 E. Northwest Highway Dallas, Texas 75238 214-340-8008