David Michael Rodman

David Michael “Mike” Rodman was born May 15, 1943 to Carol Gaylor and Robert P. Rodman in Salt Lake City. He passed away peacefully with his wife and daughter by his side on October 6, 2022 after a valiant struggle with Lewy Body Dementia.

Mike grew up in Salt Lake graduating from East High School. He married Kathleen “Kathy” Connole in 1962 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Together they raised three children and were married just a month short of 60 years. They had many great adventures together traveling to every corner of the globe and making friends all along the way. They also loved visiting their children and grandchildren wherever they lived – Japan, Korea, Germany, and all over the US.

Mike started out as an elevator mechanic for Kimball Elevator Company and then had a 30 year career as the state manager for Seagram’s Distillers in Utah. His talkative and outgoing personality made him a natural. He was kind, funny, opinionated, and a real social being. He loved people and a good party.

Mike was a wonderful husband and father and always put his family first. The things he lacked in his own childhood, he was sure to provide for his kids. He loved sports and coached his kids’ hockey, baseball, and basketball teams. All three of his children would follow his lead and coach youth sports. If the Runnin’ Utes or Utah Jazz were playing, he was either at the game or yelling at the TV watching it. When there wasn’t a game on, he also enjoyed Pioneer Memorial Theater and the Utah Symphony,

Mike was very involved in the community. He was one of the founders of the Hibernian Society of Utah who started the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1977. He was one of the Magnificent 7 (“Mr. Sprinkler” to be exact) who built the Kearns – St. Ann’s Sports Complex so the Catholic Sports Organization (CYO) would have a home field. They then moved on to the first renovation of the football field at Judge Memorial. Also during this time, he and Laura Hazel started the girls sports programs through the CYO to provide sports opportunities for girls. If your family enjoyed the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, played at the Kearns-St. Ann’s Sports Complex, on the Judge Memorial football field, or in the girls’ sports programs of the CYO, raise a glass to Mike!

Mike was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Gary Rodman. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his brother Rob, sons Dan (Margaret) and Shawn (Jody) and his daughter Michele Luper (Phil), his grandchildren Meggie, Patrick, Ian, Will, Maddie, Sean, Annalise, and Aedan and one great-granddaughter, August.

The family would like to thank all those who lovingly cared for Mike at Twin Oaks Memory Care where they treated him like family. Additionally, we would like to thank Erica, Jenny, Mia, and Maria with Canyons Hospice who provided excellent care for Mike in the last weeks of his life.

A celebration of Mike’s life will be held at Starks Funeral Parlor on Thursday, October 13th from 6:00-8:00pm. A Catholic Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Vincent’s DePaul Church 1375 E Spring Ln. Salt Lake City, on Friday, October 14th at 11:30am with a visitation beginning an hour prior.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Judge Memorial Scholarship Fund at 650 South 1100 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84102 or a charity of your choice.