Dick Rodland smiles for a photo at home in spring 2023.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
SNOHOMISH — Dick Rodland’s place in the history of Snohomish Schools was established long ago. Rodland was still spoken of by his junior high students for his character and kindness.
Rodland died March 8 just shy of his 97th birthday, his church said.
Rodland’s funeral will be March 29 at 1 p.m. at Crossview Church, 604 Ave C., the church he attended for some 60 years and taught Sunday school for almost the same length of time.
He taught generations of students as the health teacher at the long-gone junior high, and coached hundreds of Snohomish basketball players and officiated thousands of basketball games.
Part of a large family, the Rodlands ran a corner gas station and community grocer along S. Lake Stevens Road. Rodland’s Grocery later became Turner’s Grocery for 30-some years before closing for good.
He was Snohomish High class of 1946, and soon after married his sweetheart Marj, who he’d met in grade school as a neighbor girl.
In high school, he was a three-sport letterman, including part of Snohomish’s undefeated 1944 football team and part of the state all-star baseball team of 1945.
