August 28, 1932 – Saturday, January 17, 2009

Service Information
The Peterson Chapel-Buffalo
Friday, January 23, 2009
1:00 PM

Visitation Information

Rodney “Rod” Earlywine was born on 8/28/32 in Michigantown, Indiana to Nora Pearl and Byron Earlywine of Russiaville, Indiana. He was baptized and belonged to the First Baptist Church in Russiaville. He graduated from Western High School in May of 1950 and then worked for the railroad in Kokomo, Indiana until he went into the service. He honorably served his country as a Corporal in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Rod attended college at Bethel College, in St. Paul, MN and the University of Minnesota, in the field of Business. Rod became a model for the Eleanor Moore Agency and did print ads for 3M, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Toro, Dole and Fingerhut, amongst others, and he appeared on the boxed cover of the game “Aggravation” and on the record “Cock-a-Doodle-Do and Mother Goose Too”.
While modeling, he met and fell in love with another model, Jeanne Mae Orttel and a year later they were married on 12/23/61. They were lucky enough to celebrate their 47th wedding anniversary this past December. In 1976 he and other partners bought the Denesen Company, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota and he became the President. They lived in Minnetonka, Minnesota for 33 years and in 2001 they moved to Buffalo, Minnesota to retire. He was well known around town and was seldom seen without his Greek fishing hat or constant smile. He had a great sense of humor, was a brilliant businessman, loved weekends at the ‘lake cabin’, morel mushroom hunting, playing the organ, traveling, nature, dining out, bargain shopping, playing cards and board games, crossword puzzles, e-mailing friends and family, and he had a fantastic green thumb (you should see his orchids!) A celebraton of Rod’s life will be held on Friday at 1:00 PM at The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo. Friends may gather one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Rod is survived by his loving wife, Jeanne; daughter, Dawn (Dean) Hilgers; son, Rod (Amy) Earlywine; grandchildren, Lauren, Alec and Carly Hilgers, Dylan and Eric Earlywine; mother, Nora Pearl Earlywine; many other relatives and friends. He was a devoted husband and family man. He loved his wife, mother, his children and grandchildren very much and was very proud of them all. Serving the family…

The Peterson Chapel-Buffalo
763-682-1363 www.thepetersonchapel.com