On the 10th Anniversary of my father's death, I want to pay tribute to him by sharing with you some of the dimensions of his full and active life. John Douglas ("Doug") Roderick was a Valentine baby, born February 14, 1915. As a result, Valentine's Day became my favorite holiday, for as a child and even as an adult, Dad would present us with Valentine gifts during his birthday party!
His Death:
Dad died of stomach cancer on January 29, 1993 in his home (Silver Spring, MD). He was surrounded by his family during the final week of his life as well as at his moment of death (8:30am on a cold but sunny Friday morning). My Mom led us in final prayers as life left his body. Dad had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in September 1989, undergoing surgery late that month. He returned to his home in Sarasota, FL that winter as well as the winters of '90 and '91. But by the summer and fall of '92, he was struggling again with the disease, the origin of which would not be determined by the Walter Reed doctors. One of Dad's nephews, Brian Henry, spent the week after Christmas '92 with us, and I know how much Dad valued his visit. Dad was hospitalized during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of January '93. He spent the final week of his life at home under hospice care and the care of his family. We held Dad’s funeral at St. John’s Catholic Church in Peabody on Feb 2. Joan Murtagh Hunt (MA), Mom’s niece, helped with the arrangements and did the readings at the funeral mass. Dad was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery (Peabody/Salem line) with his in-laws, Nana and Grandpa Henry, and his brother-in-law, Tom Henry. We hosted a “celebration of life” luncheon in Dad’s honor at one of his favorite restaurants, The Town Line House, Lynnfield.
His Life:
But what about Dad's life. . .he had two wonderful parents, Sadie and Jack Roderick. Dad lived his early years in Revere, MA and St. Petersburg, FL, helping to drive the family car to FL when he was just 12. Dad graduated from Revere High School ('33), and went on to State Teachers College at Salem ('37), majoring in Business Education. He met Mary Ellen Henry of Peabody at college. Aunt Lorraine (my father's only sibling) tells us that Dad always said Mary Henry was the smartest person in his class. Dad was the lead singer and dancer in the musicals at Revere High School. He was the Editor of The Log (Salem’s newspaper) in his junior year and Editor of The Clipper (Salem’s yearbook) in his senior year. He and Mom married on June 28, 1941 at St. John's Catholic Church, Peabody, MA, acquiring a wonderful set of in-laws, Rosanna and Tommy Henry. He and Mom had three children: Joan Elaine (3/42), Ellen Mary (5/44), and John Francis (aka, Jackie, Jack) (6/48), all born in Salem Hospital. Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in MD in June '91.
His Career:
One's career is so much a vital part of one's life -- and Dad had five. He was a teacher and coach in MA, a sailor in MA & CT, a Naval Officer in MA & DC, a school administrator in MD, and a Federal civil servant in DC. He taught and coached in four MA high schools: Dighton ('37-'39), Billerica ('39-'42), Arlington ('46-'48), and Brookline ('48-'50). As a sailor, he never spent time on ships because of his tendency toward seasickness. Instead, he worked in Boston, MA and Noroton Hts., CT ('42-'44), training enlisted men in business skills (e.g., typing, shorthand). In '44, he became a Naval Officer in the USN Supply Corps, working at the Naval Shipyard, Boston ('44-'46). In '50 he was called back into the Navy due to the Korean War. And that is what took the Roderick family to Washington, DC. He served in a number of USN positions from '50-'56, and then left active duty to accept the assistant principal position ('56-'57) at a new high school in Silver Spring. Dad completed his Naval career as a reservist and achieved the rank of Commander. To this day, Mom has the benefits of the military, with any needed medical care provided by Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Dad spent one year as an Assistant Principal and then decided to seek Federal employment. Dad worked for 4 Federal agencies - - Dept of the Navy ('57-'58), Dept of Commerce, Coast & Geodetic Survey ('58-'61), FAA ('61-'64), and FDIC ('64-'76), where he was Chief Auditor when he retired in '76. Most of his positions in Federal service were in supervisory/managerial accounting and auditing but he did have one stint as Director of Management Training at FAA. So my Dad and I have something in common in our careers.
His Family:
Dad was the husband of Mary (Henry) Roderick (MD & FL) and the father of three children: Joan Roderick Carlberg (MD), Ellen Roderick (MD), and John Roderick (FL). He was the father-in-law of Jim Carlberg (MD) and grandfather of David James Carlberg (MD & PA), and Matthew Alan Carlberg (MD).
He was the brother of Lorraine (Roderick) Forte (FL) and the brother-in-law of Joe Forte (FL), Joe Henry (Deceased), Rita Henry Armstrong (TX), Tom Henry (Deceased), and Esther Henry (MA).
He was the uncle to 13 nieces and nephews:
