John K. Rodeen

John K. Rodeen, 77 of Dakota Dunes, SD passed away on Friday, June 13, 2014 at a Sioux City hospital. Services will be at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday at Grace United Methodist Church. Rev. Timothy Bonney will officiate. A reception with the family will be immediately following the service. Private graveside services will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will be from 5:00 - 8:00 P.M. Monday with a Masonic Service at 7:00 P.M.at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel, 6200 Morningside Ave. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com. John was born March 13, 1937 in Sioux City; he was the son of Kenneth and Lorraine "Billie" (Snyder) Rodeen. He graduated from East High School in 1955 and attended the University of Iowa, Morningside College and graduated from Westmar College in LeMars, IA in 1960, where he majored in Business Administration and Sociology. He was a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute, Economic Development Institute at Oklahoma University, and the American Management Association Management Development Institute. John married Arlene Peters November 21, 1959 in LeMars, IA. While in high school and college, John worked with his father in the family grocery store on Court Street and Morningside Ave. He was employed by Goodwill Industries as Public Relations Director. In 1963, John took a position with the Iowa Development Commission in Des Moines, as Industrial Development Specialist. In 1968, he joined corporate management at IBP headquarters in Dakota City, NE where he helped start the first Management Training Program for the company, and subsequently the first Public Relations Program, and became the first Community, Government, Press Relations Director for IBP. He left IBP to become Assistant VP of Business Development for an architectural firm. In 1975, he joined St. Joseph Mercy Hospital as Public Relations Director and later assumed the same role for the new Marian Health Center. In 1985, John returned to development work to be President of the Storm Lake Area Development Corporation. In 1995, he joined Alliant Energy of Cedar Rapids, Iowa as Manager of Economic Development, where he retired in 1999. He proudly served as a member of the 185th Fighter Wing of the Sioux City Air National Guard. John was equally proud of starting a Boy Scout Troop for disabled boys while he worked at Goodwill Industries, which was sponsored by the Sioux City Kiwanis Club. He was also a co-founder of Siouxland Junior Achievement in the early 1970's and served on the Board for several years. He was awarded the Silver Award by the Organization. Other boards and organizations he belonged to included the Iowa Professional Developers Board of Directors, Hospital Public Relations Society of Iowa, American Industrial Development Council, Sioux City Kiwanis Club, Sioux City Noon Sertoma Club and VP of the Willows Homeowners Association in Dakota Dunes. John was a member of the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple, Sioux City Scottish Rite, Morningside Masonic Lodge # 615 A.F. & A.M, social member of the White Horse Mounted Patrol and formerly a member of the Royal Order of the Jesters. John often told friends the joy of retirement was to spend as much time as possible enjoying the growth and activities of his grandchildren. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife. He is survived by his wife, Arlene of Dakota Dunes, SD; 2 daughters: Lori Marx and her husband Doug of Sioux City, Kim Long of Omaha; 5 grandchildren: Ben and Corrine Villim in Sioux City, Nick, Amie and Natalie Long in Omaha; his sister: Jean Munro and her husband Dave of Calif., John was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Connie. Honorary pallbearers will be Ben Villim, Nick Long, Bob Huisenga, Gary Gunderson, Ted Saltzman, George Trainer, Bob Prescott, Gary Owens and Bob Clem. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Abu Bekr Shrine Transportation Fund or Hospice of Siouxland.