Rodger D. Marshall

Rodger Dean Marshall was the youngest son of Clifford and Ruth Greene Marshall and the fourth generation of the Greene/Marshall family to live on Prospect Hill Farm in LaPrairie Township near Speer, Illinois.  He was born on May 16, 1932, and died peacefully in Iowa City, Iowa on September 17, 2022, at the age of 90.  He married the love of his life, Janet Bateman, on February 7, 1960, and they had 62 happy years together.  They were the proud parents of four children:  Lynette Marshall (Jeffery Ford) of Iowa City, Toby Marshall (Kimberly) of Lafayette, IL, Douglas Marshall (Elaine) of Albuquerque, NM, and Kelly Marshall of Chase, MI.  They also had a daughter, Mary Ruth, who died shortly after her birth.  They enjoyed their seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Rodger attended the Greene, Turnbull, and LaPrairie rural schoolhouses, and graduated from Princeville High School where he played the trombone and football, graduating in 1950. He enjoyed the trombone for the remainder of his life, including in his own dance band, the Shrine Marching and Dance Bands, and in various senior bands in the Peoria area.

Rodger served in the Army as a high-speed radio operator from 1953-55 with postings in Germany and France during the Korean Conflict.  After his military radio experience, he enjoyed being a ham radio operator for many years.

Rodger joined his father on the family farm and engaged widely in his community.  He was a member of the LaPrairie United Presbyterian Church, the Princeville Lodge #360, the Mohammed Shrine Temple in Peoria, and the Scottish Rite, all of which he belonged to for 66 years.  He was active in the Marshall County Farm Bureau, the Bureau & Marshall-Putnam Co-op, and the Marshall County Historical Society among many others.  In retirement he and Janet enjoyed bicycling trips with friends, activities at Pearce Community Center in Chillicothe, volunteering for the American Red Cross and the Shriners Children’s Hospital, and travelling widely. 

Throughout their marriage, Rodger and Janet enjoyed hosting friends from around the world in their home through the International 4-H Exchange Program (IFYE). A special IFYE host daughter, Katharina Steinrücke, of Ennepetal, Germany, was like a third daughter to them. They visited all 50 states together and many foreign countries.  They were Illini and Hawkeye fans, cherishing their children’s and grandchildren’s alma maters as their own.

Rodger and Janet graciously moved from LaPrairie to Iowa City in 2019 to be closer to family. Rodger’s favorite activities included driving through the country to survey the crops and ice cream stops along the way. 

Rodger was preceded in death by his parents, brother Howard, and sister Martha.

Services will be on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 1pm the LaPrairie United Presbyterian Church, 701 CR 400 E, Sparland, Illinois with visitation from 11am to 1pm.  Burial will immediately follow the funeral and a light meal will be provided for all who wish to join after the burial.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital, 2211 North Oak Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60707 or on-line at: donate.lovetotherescue.org.  Arrangements are under the care of Weber-Hurd Funeral Home in Chillicothe.