Marvin Lawrence “Dusty” Rodenbeck was born July 3, 1933, in Detmold. He was the seventh child, and second son, of W.C. and Margaret Unnasch Rodenbeck. Marvin passed away Saturday, Aug. 20, at his home in Thorndale. Known as “Dusty” throughout his life, he served in the United States Army from July 1953 until June 1955.
And just three months later, Sept. 18,1955, he married Mildred Joy Schneider, who he met while delivering chicken feed to her parent’s house. He claims that she asked him on the first date, a hayride, in which he had to drive the truck. They would remain married for almost 60 years, until she passed away Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014. Their three children, Marcia, Michele, and Mark, all still live in the Thorndale area.
After the war, Marvin worked for his father, an enterprising, firstgeneration German they called “Papa Bill,” first as a backhoe operator, then mixing and grinding feed, hauling concrete and other supplies, and everything else required in the family business.
In 1972, Marvin and his brother Sonny took over the reins of the Rodenbeck industry, called W.C. Rodenbeck Lumber & Feed. Soon after, they purchased 78 acres south of Thorndale, and created a hog farm, at one time running more than 2,000 head.
They became dealers for Purina Mills and evolved the feed mill into a bagged feed operation called Rodenbeck Farm & Ranch.
One of Marvin’s true passions was making sausage, which he did until this last spring. In 2008, Marvin and Millie retired from the Feed Business, passing the reins to the next generation. The feed mill lives on today, still family-owned, with a newer meat market encompassing the legacies of butchering and sausage-making he leaves behind.
Marvin was a member of Thorndale VFW Post 4009, an elder at St.
Paul Lutheran Church as well as serving on the building committee for both St. Paul and Thorndale ISD, served as an active member of Thorndale Volunteer Fire Department, Thorndale ISD School Board, as well as numerous awards for Outstanding Citizen and Businessperson while serving on the Thorndale Chamber of Commerce, and he generously supported area 4-H/FFA booster clubs and Little League sports teams. As a veteran, he proudly flew the American flag every day at his business.
He is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, four sisters and one brother. Marvin “Dusty” Rodenbeck is survived by daughters, Marcia Felton and husband Barton, Michele Gilchrist and husband James, and son Mark Rodenbeck and wife Melodie. His sisters include Mag Thaler, Polly Miller, Carol Glenn, and a sister-in-law Mary Ann Rodenbeck. His grandchildren are Dr.
Summer Odom and husband Len, Trey Felton, Dana Coward and husband Jimmy, Stephanie Bleeker and husband Michael, Wade Gilchrist and wife Kayleigh, Tyler Rodenbeck, and Gracie Rodenbeck. Dusty’s step grandchildren are Alisha Berber and husband Sammy and Jocelyn Ballesteros. He also has 11 great grandchildren and many other close family and friends.
Memorials can be sent to St. Paul Lutheran Church “Build the Vision” fund, P.O. Box 369 Thorndale, TX 76577.
Visitation was held Wednesday, Aug. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Condra Funeral Home in Taylor.
Services were held Thursday, Aug. 25, at 1 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Thorndale.
Burial followed at St.
Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Thorndale.
