Died Friday, February 3, 2023 at home.
Rod was born December 22, 1940 to Lee and Elsie 'Hall' Williams in Fremont. He was baptized on August 8, 1954 at Sinai Lutheran Church in Fremont. He graduated from Fremont High School in 1958 and served in the United States Navy from 1958 until 1962. He had a top secret clearance and worked in radio communications. He spent one year in Hawaii on the USS Fessenden, which was an escort radar ship and two and half years on the Island of Guam with special assignments to Vietnam, Philippines and Hong Kong.
Rod married Linda Going of Hooper, Nebraska on December 7, 1962 and together they had 3 children, Jodi, Chris and Andy. They are members of Rejoice Lutheran Church in Omaha.
Rod retired from Northern Natural Gas (Enron) on August 31, 2000 with 32 years of service. He had many wonderful memories of NNG and the people he worked with. Rod started as a maintenance helper and finished as manager of the Operations Communications Center in Omaha.
Rod and Linda enjoyed traveling, a little gambling (mostly Rod), but he especially enjoyed his grandchildren, of which he had eight and of course Husker Football.
Rod is survived by his wonderful wife and friend of over 60 years, Linda, his daughter Jodi Pelzer of Grundy Center, IA.; sons Chris (Michele) of Ogden, IA, and Andy(Leslie) of Valley. Rod is also survived by his grandchildren Tyler (Alicia), Tanner, Chloe, Alec, Blair, Lane, Jordan and Savannah as well as a great granddaughter Maren. Rod also had a special relationship with his first grand puppy, Freckles.
Rod was preceded in death his parents and a brother Walter Walkenhorst.
The funeral will be 11am, Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at Rejoice Lutheran Church in Omaha (2556 S 138th St, Omaha). Dress in Red and bring a smile. Burial will be at a later date in Memorial Cemetery in Fremont. Memorials may be directed to the family. Visitation will be Monday, from 3pm to 7pm with the family present 4pm to 7pm at the Ludvigsen Mortuary Chapel in Fremont.
Online guestbook at www.Ludvigsenmortuary.com
Condolences(9)
Dave and Bonnie Fauss
Mesa, AZ Monday, February 6, 2023 Linda. We are so sorry to hear about Rod For some reason you are not listed in my phone numbers. You and your family have our sympathies .Dave and Bonnie
Gary & Bette Collins
Omaha, NE Sunday, February 5, 2023 We have been neighbors with Rod and Linda for about 15 years and they were such a sweet couple. When Linda started to fail and Covid hit, we mostly waved as they would passed in the car or a short :”How are things going?”from a distance. I visited them a couple weeks ago and Rod had the same sweet smile on his face, but it was obvious that his body was failing. The picture of Rod captures his whole personality. We are so sorry for your loss. God Bless Linda and family.Rosanna Kaar
Omaha, NV Sunday, February 5, 2023 Sorry for your loss, he was a good person.Donald Dickmeyer
OMAHA, NE Saturday, February 4, 2023 I first met Rod when I transfered from Linden School to Northside in the 5th grade. We spent a lot of years messing around together back in those days. He spent a lot of time with my parents at their house. The good old days back in the 50's. He will be missed by many of us. Good bye my friend and I will see you in the great beyond. Don502 Oak Street
Louisville, NE Saturday, February 4, 2023 I have so many wonderful memories of time I spent with Rod and Linda. She was my best friend in high school and we were roommates after graduating. That is how I met Rod. We have had so many visits where we could just sit anf visit. Have laughed and cried together and tried to be there for each other when we needed it the most. That's an everlasting friendship when you can do that for over 60 years. Whenever I walked in their home I would holler "Honey I'm Home." Well Rodney, you are home now and I will miss you terribly. Love You. KKLaRue Clark Roberts
Omaha, NE Saturday, February 4, 2023 Rod and I became good friends after high school at our first class reunion. We both had lived in Cedar Bluffs so we had a connection. These later years he lovingly cared for Linda. I so admired him for that. I will miss him.My sympathy to his family.
Gerald and Denise Bartlett
Omaha, NE Saturday, February 4, 2023 We are so sorry for Linda and all of the family. We have been neighbors and have enjoyed many years together.Please accept our condolences for your loss. Our neighborhood and hearts are broken but we feel blessed to have had a chance to be part of this journey.
Tom Guler
CubaCity, WI Saturday, February 4, 2023 I knew Rod for his joking, arguing about safety issues, and great personality. I always enjoyed working with Rod. He was a great person and will be deeply missed.DEAN OLSON
OMAHA, NE Saturday, February 4, 2023 I am saddened by the news of Rod's passing. I was a newbie at FHS our senior year. I didn't know many kids and didn't hang out with Rod a lot. But I considered him to be one of my friends and I have a favorite memory involving Rod. One of my first days at FHS, I had to wrestle Rod in gym class. I wasn't a very good wrestler, but I held my own and managed, just barely, to avoid getting pinned.I send my condolences to Rod's family. He was a good man.