Donald Gene Rodewald, 76, of Stickney and formerly of Brookfield and LaGrange Park, died June 4, 2012 at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn.
Mr. Rodewald was born in Indianapolis on June 8, 1935 to Marion F. and Catherine L. Rodewald and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
After the war he worked at Woolworth’s in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood and at Brodsky Candies. He later owned several toy and hobby shops in the Chicago area, including in Little Village, Riverside, Naperville, LaGrange Park and Brookfield. One of the best remembered of his shops was called Road ‘N’ Rail. Mr. Rodewald’s most recent store was World of Diecast, which was located on Ogden Avenue in Brookfield and closed in 2010.
Mr. Rodewald was also a member of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce and coached Little League baseball.
He was the husband of Barbara A. Rodewald (nee Lewis); the father of Dawn (Kevin) Kahmark, Mike (Gina) Rodewald and Beth (Tim) Stach; the grandfather of Abigail Rodewald, Joseph Rodewald, Ryan Stach, Alex Kahmark, Anna Kahmark and ben Kahmark; and the brother of Linda Allen.
A funeral service was held June 8 at Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield. Interment was private.
Memorial donations are appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association, 8430 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 800, Chicago, Ill. 60631.
