John F. Rode, 76, of Mount Pleasant, died unexpectedly but peacefully, with his family by his side on Monday, November 29, 2021 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
John was born July 17, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of John B. and Ilse (Rosenwinkel) Rode. He graduated from Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago and continued his education at Drake University, earning a degree in pharmacy. John was united in marriage to Jennifer Gollhofer in Charter Oak, Iowa, on November 22, 1969. The couple have made Mount Pleasant their home since 1973. John was a pharmacist in the community for over 35 years, first at Panther-Rexall Drug, and later at Henry County Health Center, from which he retired in 2010. He served on the Iowa State Board of Pharmacy Examiners. He was a member of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and Iowa Society of Hospital Pharmacists. John mentored pharmacy students from the University of Iowa and Drake University. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church where he held many leadership positions. John was especially proud of his involvement with the “Change a Child’s Story” Ministry through the church. He served on the Mount Pleasant Community School District School Board and AEA Area 16 Board. John cherished the time he spent with his family, enjoyed gardening and was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan.
John is survived by his wife Jennifer; son Chris (Anna) Rode of Iowa City, their children, Ethaen, Aedan, Leonidas (Leo), Beatriz (Beah); daughter Beth (Jason) Freiberg of Cedar Falls, their children, Leah, Bennett, and Mae; and a sister Lois Cory of Chicago, IL.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Mary Harris.
A private family service will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 6, 2021. Burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery. The service will be livestreamed at Powell Funeral Homes Facebook page and at www.powellfuneralhomes.com. Public visitation will be held 1:00-5:00 p.m. Sunday, December 5, 2021, at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel. The family will not be present. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the Change a Child’s Story Ministry at First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641.