It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Rodney Brian Kagarise - beloved husband, father, brother, and son - on October 4, 2025 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer.
Rodney was born on October 28, 1964, to Robert and Bette Kagarise in Osterburg, Pennsylvania, where he grew up with his siblings as well as several lifelong friends. Rodney graduated from Chestnut Ridge High School in 1982 and attended Shippensburg University where he graduated in 1986 with his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, as a proud, lifelong Red Raider. Rodney moved to Leesburg, Virginia in 1986 where he met the love of his life, Denise. The two were married on April 12, 1997, marking the beginning of a marriage built on laughter, partnership, and devotion. They soon settled in Purcellville, Virginia, where they raised their two beloved children, Tressa and Evan, and created a home filled with warmth, humor, and love.
Rodney was a man of kindness, generosity, and quiet strength. He could fix anything, build everything, and find joy in the simplest of moments. Whether he was growing pumpkins for Denise to decorate the porch with at the start of fall, picking raspberries in the summer for homemade pies, lighting the first spark of an autumn campfire, mastering his barbecue skills in preparation for Steelers or Penn State games, cheering the loudest for his daughter at her softball games, hooting and hollering during the curtain calls of his son's plays, taking his loyal canine sidekick, Wilson, on daily walks, telling legendary "dad jokes" to lift the mood, or building furniture for the room his wife renamed "The Bar Room"- including a whiskey barrel he transformed into a one-of-a-kind liquor cabinet for her favorite gins and his favorite whiskies- Rodney's hands and heart were always busy making life brighter for the people he loved.
Rodney was an avid outdoorsman who found peace and joy in the quiet of nature, whether casting a line on the water or spending crisp mornings out in a tree stand hunting. He loved sharing his passion for sports and community by coaching his daughter's softball team and umpiring local high school games. Rodeny enjoyed traveling to new places with his loved ones, but no summer was ever quite complete without their cherished return to Topsail Beach.
Those who knew Rodney will remember him as the kind of man who showed love through action - a steady presence, a fixer, a doer, and a provider of endless comfort. His love ran deep and quiet, but it was felt profoundly by all who were lucky enough to know him. Rodney's legacy lives on in the love he gave, the laughter he inspired, and the countless memories he created. His absence leaves a space that can never be filled, but his spirit will remain forever present in the hearts of his family and friends.
Rodney is preceded in death by his father, Robert Kagarise, and father-in-law Arthur Bienacker. He is survived by his devoted wife, Denise Kagarise; his cherished children, Tressa Kagarise and Evan Kagarise; his loving mother, Bette Kagarise; his siblings, Lisa (Kagarise) Rowley [Darrell Rowley] and Todd Kagarise; his mother-in-law Mary (Zilafro) Bienacker; and brothers-in-law Stacy Bienacker and Scott Bienacker [Bridgette Bienacker] along with countless relatives and friends who will miss him beyond measure.
Celebrations of Rodney's life will be held in Leesburg, Virginia and Osterburg, Pennsylvania where family and friends will gather to honor the remarkable man who meant so much to so many.
A viewing was held on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM , at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle SE, Leesburg, Virginia 20175.
A viewing will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at St. Peters Lutheran Church, 175 Graybill Road, Osterburg, Pennsylvania 16667 and a burial ceremony will follow on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 11:00 AM, at St. Peters Lutheran Church, 175 Graybill Road, Osterburg, Pennsylvania 16667.
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www.loudounfuneralchapel.com Rodney Brian Kagarise
Published by Loudoun Times-Mirror from Oct. 10 to Oct. 11, 2025.