Roderick Dean Markley

Roderick Dean Markley was born July 8^th, 1922, in Bluffton, Indiana to the late Lewis J. Markley and Mildred I. Markley (Schott). Roderick, who was commonly known as Rod, is preceded in death by his wife Mary Jane Markley (Gilliom), brothers Kenneth and Richard Markley, and sisters Phyllis Poling and Anna Walton. Rod is survived by his brother James Markley, daughter Jennifer Martz, Granddaughter Lori (Brandon) Watson, and Great Grandson Logan (Morgan) Watson.

He went to school in Bluffton, Indiana. After graduating, he started working at Panhandle Eastern Pipeline. Rod then joined the US Navy on September 1^st, 1942, during World War II. He joined that branch of the military for he thought that was the “least likely place to get shot.”  He served as Yeoman 2^nd Class of the U.S.S. Louisville.  Later, he applied and was accepted to Short-Hand School at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

During the 2^nd World War, Rod kept in contact with a young waitress from the Bluffton Elks Lodge. On a leave of absence from the Navy, On November 6^th, 1943, Rod married Mary Jane Gilliom in their hometown. On October 1^st, 1945, with a baby on the way, he was able to be Honorably Discharged and left the military. Rod continued to work at Panhandle Eastern Pipeline, and in December of 1945, him and Mary Jane became parents to Jennifer Lee.

In 1960, Rod was transferred to Indianapolis by his job where he resided at 96^th & Michigan Road, where the McDonalds is now.  With Mary Jane and his daughter, Jennifer both being Jehovah’s Witnesses, Rod also took up the faith and was baptized January 13^th, 1962.

During his secular career, which started in 1941, Rod was a heavy equipment operator. He operated a crane on a pipeline from Michigan to Texas. Later in life, he was a foreman and supervisor for Panhandle Eastern Pipeline until he retired on January 1^st, 1984. After retirement, Panhandle would often contact Rod to communicate with him to inquire of where pipes were buried, how they were constructed, and valve placement in the pipeline district in which he worked. On September 15^th, 2010, when Rod was 88 years old, Panhandle wrote and published a story about how He saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars for knowing the certain specifics of 16 pipeline siphons that were located in Zionsville, Indiana.

Rod found great joy in his zealous spiritual career. Prior to baptism, Rod often worked in the ministry as an unbaptized publisher with Brothers Ken Herron and Bill Engledow as part of the Carmel group. Later when the North Unit building was being constructed, Rod was baptized and became a publisher of the Good News with his family at this congregation. After Jennifer was married, Rod and Mary Jane moved further south into Indianapolis and attended the Guion Creek Congregation. Rod served as an Elder and Presiding Overseer at Guion Creek for many years. Later in life, after Mary Jane passed, Rod was part of the West side redistricting and served as an Elder at the Eagle Creek Congregation up until his death.

Rod and Mary Jane were admirable ministers. Rod was very regular in the ministry and set a fine example for his family and for others. No one could work a territory quite like Rod and Mary Jane. You knew you were going to walk, sweat, freeze, and hit the streets out in the ministry with them and you best not slam the car door! If you were there, no explanation is needed. They knew all your Return Visits, for their efficiency in keeping house to house records was top notch. Recently, a letter was sent to the Brownsburg Congregation where a neighbor commented that “Rod Marley used to call on him and represented your faith well.” Rod was well known for his ministering, even after his declining health. Recently, in Long Term Care, he would set out a magazine or tract and place literature with the nursing staff.

Rod was a “doer of the work!” (James 1:25). He enjoyed working in maintenance and construction at the kingdom halls. He often cleaned, cut grass, and changed light bulbs. He picked up literature for many years at the downtown Assembly Hall and helped distribute it to the local congregations. This is how many of the friends got to know him and what he was known for, a “doer” for Jehovah.

After retirement, Rod enjoyed golfing, and was always tinkering in his garage, making something out of wood, screws, glue, rubber bands, twine, and his strongest tool in his arsenal-duct tape. He was the first “MacGyver!”

When his Great-Grandson was born, they were two peas in a pod. Rod often baby-sat and cared for Logan. He took him everywhere. After having girls – a daughter and granddaughter, Logan was the apple of his eye. Before Logan got married and right before Rod went into Long Term Care, they were roommates. They have always had a close bond.

Rod was known for having many witty sayings. If someone was sick, he would often ask them if they had the “epizootic?”  He enjoyed being a hard worker, and would often say, “Don’t bother working people,” or “work them hard and tell them nothing,” and “I am doing the best I can with what I got to work with.”  He would also tell others that “Visiting hours are after 4.” I am sure you know other sayings, and the family would love to hear them from you.

Rod was a husband, father, grandpa, brother, elder, and a good man. He will remain in Jehovah’s Memory in His “Book of Life” (Philippians 4:3).  He lived to be 99, so we as a family like to think he really stuck in Jehovah’s memory! One last witty saying Rod had was instead of saying goodbye, he would say, “Meet you at the pass.” We as family and friends cannot wait to meet Rod “at the pass” in the New World.

The family would like to thank everyone for your texts, phone calls, thoughts, and prayers. Rod was so well loved and taken care of by all of you. The family would also like to give special thanks to the Eagle Creek Congregation, Hoosier Village-Senior Home Community, and his AseraCare Hospice nurse, Chris Davis.

In Lieu of any flowers, please donate to Jehovah’s Witnesses – Worldwide Work:  https://donate.jw.org/ui/E/donate-home.html#/donate