Rodney Orin Woodruff

Rodney Woodruff

St. George/Manti, Utah

Rodney Orin Woodruff, 92, passed on to heaven to join his sweet wife and sons on May 1, 2016 in St. George. He was born to Herbert Orin and Mildred Dora Wyant Woodruff on January 22, 1924 in Garden City, KS. He moved to Pasadena, CA when he was a teenager, and there he attended high school and junior college. In 1942 he entered the Air Force where they utilized his printing skills he had learned from his dad. He was stationed in Mesa, Arizona and Okinawa, Japan, where he printed books with the different mountain ranges on them for the pilots.

After leaving the Air Force, Rodney was invited to a roller skating party. Rodney didn’t know how to skate, but a beautiful young woman named Shirley taught him that night. Later they married February 6, 1945 and solemnized in the Mesa Temple on February 10, 1945. They raised three boys and three girls together. They were married 46 years before she passed away. He missed her every day after that.

Rodney was a printer many years at the University of Utah. He made lots of beautiful jewelry on his lapidary equipment. He was a fabulous story teller and had a wonderful sense of humor. He always had a new joke every day. For years he worked two jobs, but somehow still managed to run the kids to their events and rescue them when there were car problems.

He is survived by his daughters: Linda (Scott) Derbidge, Karen Woodruff and Vicky (Kelly) Hales, 8 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren; brothers Rex (Shirley), Delbert (Alta). His was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley; his parents; sons: Darrell, Randy and Dennis; brothers: Hugh, Norman; and sister, Patricia.

Graveside services and Interment will be held on Friday, May 6, 2016 at11:00 a.m. in the Manti Cemetery with military rites by the Manti American Legion Post #31. Friends may call prior to services at the Cemetery starting at 10:30 a.m. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com