Stephen Conrad Roden, 62, passed away Saturday after a difficult struggle with cancer. Having grown up in Florida, Steve moved to Huntsville in his teens and settled in to stay. In his younger years he restored MG’s as mechanical ability came very easily to him. He enjoyed both local racing and attending Bristol and Talladega NASCAR races each year. He followed a career path from machinist to 14 years a successful small business owner, then accepted employment as production manager for a fast growing local firm, to finish as manufacturing manager with a prime defense contractor. Steve always felt the best education was to own your own company, as you have to understand all aspects of the business, with the best reward seeing people grow. An avid hunter, he felt closest to God in a tree stand on a beautiful winter morning.
He leaves behind his wife of 42 years, Linda, son Stephen with granddaughter Sophia, son Brint with wife Meghan and grandchildren Avery, Ethen and Isla, daughter Sarah with husband Jeremy and their daughters Cammy and Jordan, sister Susan and her husband Tony, niece Amy and her twins, sister Carol, sister Ronda and her husband Jim with their extended family of 9 children and 2 grandchildren.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at Laughlin Service Funeral Home, 2320 Bob Wallace Ave, Huntsville, AL 35805, with his funeral service following at 11 a.m. in the chapel. Steve will be laid to rest in Maple Hill Cemetery in a private graveside service with family and close friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF) which funds arthritis research and partners with National Institutes of Health to provide information and education regarding arthritis, rheumatology and autoimmune diseases.
