Ricky M. “Rick” Rodery, age 71, left our earthly presence on October 28, 2024, surrounded by his wife and children. He was born on November 24, 1952.

Rick grew up on a farm in Carryville with his three sisters and two brothers. Rick was an excellent baseball and football player. His individual career highlights include scoring three touchdowns in one game and hitting three home runs in an all-star game. His videoed football highlights were used as training lessons for many classes of Mohawk athletes. Rick was even scouted by the Kansas City Royals before starting college at Arkansas State University. In college he was known as “Total Recall” for his encyclopedic knowledge of sports statistics and history. (He also read the encyclopedia for fun.)

He was a devoted and engaged father and public servant. He was an accomplished attorney and very giving. He won the pro bono award for providing the most free legal services many times in his professional career. He served as the District Court Judge for Clay County for well more than a decade.

He raised two wonderful children with his wife (Cheryl) of 50 years. He and Cheryl enjoyed traveling with their children to every museum, tourist attraction, and major sporting event. He and Cheryl also enjoyed antiquing and scouring used bookstores. He was proud of his children. He was a loving and doting grandfather who enjoyed taking his three grandchildren to the park, telling them Boppa-created stories, watching every sporting event and dance competition in which they participated, spending hours working with his oldest grandchild on her left-handed baseball swing, and carrying all the grandchildren to get slushies, ice cream, and cookies.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Nicholas Rodery; his son, Graham Nicholas “Sonny” Rodery; his daughter, Alexandra Rodery “Allie” Rouse; his son-in-law, Mitch Rouse; his three grandchildren, Aria Rowan, Rhys Ellis, and Reagan Aurora “Rory” Rouse; his siblings, Regina Crittenden of Piggott, Ava Hankins of Wynne, Steve Rodery of Conway, and Rebecca Riney of Fenton, Missouri; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Opal Rodery; his brother, Floyd Alan “Sonny” Rodery; and his grandson, Adriel Rouse.

A memorial service will be held at New Hope Baptist Church in Pollard, Arkansas on Saturday, November 9 at 2 p.m. After the memorial services, family and friends will gather in the New Hope Life Center.