Margaret Jane Kinsey (Kinsey) Rodman

Margaret Jane Kinsey Rodman, age 89, of Alliance passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family Thursday evening May 30, 2019.

She was born in 1929 in Alliance, Ohio to Dr. I.W. and Mildred Jane Kinsey.

Maggie was a graduate of Alliance High School (‘47). She went on to meet her future husband, James P. Rodman, in the choir of the First Presbyterian church in downtown Alliance.  They attended Mount Union College together with Maggie finishing Mount (’51) in 3 years so they could get married and she could join him at Washington University in St. Louis where he earned his Master’s degree in Astrophysics.  After returning to Alliance they were blessed with four children while Jim donated his time teaching as an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astrophysics at Mount Union.  They then packed up their 4 children and moved to Connecticut while Jim earned his Ph.D in Astrophysics from Yale.  They then returned to Alliance where they immersed themselves in College and Community life.

She was a Tri-Delta sorority Alumni, and member of the National Cabinet of Mount Union Women, M.U.C. Campus Circle, and M.U.C. Woman’s Club.

A member of First United Presbyterian Church, Maggie was a member and past President of the Alliance YWCA where she received the Fulmer Volunteer Leadership Award.  She belonged to Hills and Dale Gardeners, Alliance Woman’s Club, Coterie, Sorosis, the Alliance Historical   Society and served as a Trustee and President of the Board of Rodman Public Library.

She was a member of the Corinthian Yacht Club and Beach Club of Cape May, New Jersey as well as the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts.

She very much enjoyed gardening, tennis, her social clubs, playing bridge, reading and working crossword puzzles (as did husband Jim, famously).  She was an avid knitter and needle worker and shared her well-loved works with her husband and family.

But what mattered most to her was her husband, her children and her grandchildren.  She loved most to take care of them all, to share her fabulous cooking with everyone and to host family gatherings at home, Cape May and the Rodman Lodge.

Survivors include, children, Dr. William (Kathy) Rodman of Snowmass Village, CO, Jeffrey (Alix) Rodman of Baltimore, MD, David L. (Sandy) Rodman of Alliance, and Gretchen (Mike) Zawaski of Alliance; grandchildren, David J. Rodman, Elissa Rodman (Michael Gorman), Andrew Rodman, John Rodman, Molly Rodman (Harry Chaskin), Samuel Rodman, Steven Zawaski, Margaret (Lawrence) Smith and Callie Zawaski; and sister, Carolyn Long.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dr. James P. Rodman; sister, Josephine Paterson; and brother, Dr. John Kinsey.

Friends may call at Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home on Saturday, June 15, 2019 starting at 10:00 am. A Celebration of Life Service will begin at 11:30 am.

Memorial Contributions may be made in Maggie’s honor to the Alliance YWCA, 239 E. Market St. Alliance, Ohio 44601 or the Alliance Historical Society, P.O. Box 2044, Alliance, Ohio 44601.

Arrangements are by Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home, 75 S. Union Ave., Alliance, OH 44601.