Thomas "Tom" Rodehorst

January 16, 1958 - March 8, 2021

Thomas “Tom” Rodehorst, 63 Kearney resident Tom Rodehorst, 63 of Kearney passed away Monday, March 8, 2021 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Funeral services will be 11:00 am Monday, March 15, 2021 at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday and one hour prior to the service all at the funeral home. Interment will be held at a later date. Memorials are suggested to Compass Nebraska at www.compassnebraska.org/?form=gobeyond or Kearney Area Humane Society at www.kearneyanimalshelter.com/donatenow. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Thomas Allen Rodehorst was born January 16, 1958 in Amarillo, Texas to James and Leola (Gavin) Rodehorst. The family moved many times as a result of James’ service in the U.S. Air Force. Growing up, Tom lived in numerous places like Washington, D.C., Newfoundland, Canada, and Okinawa, Japan. He graduated high school in Chattanooga, TN and then moved to Kearney, NE. He began working at Skelly’s Gas Station where he met Brenda Mast. Tom was the romantic type. He would always leave a card or write a sweet little note, letting Brenda know he was always thinking of her. They were married February 16, 1980 at the First Baptist Church in Kearney. To this union two beautiful children were blessed. Tom was a devoted husband, father, and employee. He worked at Systems Undercover in Colorado for several years, commuting from Kearney each week. For the past 25+ years he was employed by Insulation Systems of Grand Island where he was a Project Supervisor. Tom worked on many major construction projects in the Kearney area. Tom and Brenda had attended Kearney eFree and Kearney First Baptist Church. They served as Sunday school teachers for many years. Tom had a servant’s heart and was especially attentive to the needs of children. His weekends were spent attending his sons’ and grandkids’ athletic events, going hunting and fishing, and catching up on work around the house. He loved listening to music, reading about politics, history and religion, and was an avid Husker football fan. Tom had a wonderful sense of humor, dry and sarcastic at times, but always loved a good joke. He was wonderful at explaining things, re-explaining, and occasionally explaining what was just re-explained, making sure one would fully comprehend what he was trying to convey, no matter how many eye rolls were received from his sons. Family was most important to him. His Facebook profile reads simply, “Husband, father, pappy, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, friend!” He was unapologetic in showering his grandchildren with gifts for their birthdays and Christmas. He was exceptionally thoughtful and generous to those he loved. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Brenda Rodehorst of Kearney; sons, Ryan (Rutheah) Rodehorst of Kearney, and Drew (Julia) Rodehorst of La Vista, NE; grandchildren, William, Anna and Leo Rodehorst, Kamila and Kasyn Rodehorst; brothers, Ronald (Lupe) Rodehorst of Kearney, and James (Pam) Rodehorst of Wichita, KS; sisters, Sharon Rodehorst of Pensacola, FL, Karen (Richard) McCollum of Pensacola, FL, Kristi (Tom) Morales of Chattanooga, TN; as well as several nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Robert Dean and Anneliese.