Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Roderick Lee Hartung, passed away peacefully on Sunday at the age of 78.
Rod was born in Albion, Michigan, and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from University of Michigan. He later earned an MBA from Stanford University. His distinguished 37 year career at Chevron took his family to the San Francisco bay area, Honolulu Hawaii, Lima Peru, Salt Lake City Utah, and Pascagoula Mississippi. Rod served as the refinery manager in Pascagoula Mississippi from 1977-1982, and later rose to the rank of Corporate Vice President of Public Affairs prior to his retirement in 1996. Throughout his career, Rod served on several corporate boards and was active in numerous community organizations including First Baptist Church, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts, YMCA, Coastal MS Healthcare Fund, MS Economic Development Council, and United Way.
Rod and his wife retired to Pascagoula where he remained active in the community, serving on the board of Hancock Bank, and in the Power Squadron and Civil Air Patrol. He was instrumental in developing the Infinity Science Center near Stennis Space Center. Rod and his wife moved away from the coast after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, settling in Birmingham Alabama in 2006, then Huntsville Alabama in 2013. During most of this time, Rod battled a progressively debilitating condition brought on by a heart attack in 2006.
Rod is survived by his wife of 55 years, Evelyn; their three children, Katherine Broome of Birmingham Alabama, Victoria Barney and husband Garold Barney of Lamoni Iowa, and Robert Hartung and wife Lauren Hartung of Madison Alabama; six grandchildren, Amanda Kistler, Michael Kistler, Jennifer Broome, Emily Broome, Sarah Hartung, and Olivia Hartung; and by his sister, Pat Howard of Troy Michigan, and her family.
Visitation will be held at Laughlin Funeral Home in Huntsville Alabama on Saturday, March 29th, from12:30 to 2:00, followed by the funeral service, with burial afterwards in Huntsville Memory Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Rod Hartung may be sent to: Huntsville Hospital Foundation, 101 Sivley Road, Huntsville AL 35801.
