Charles Rodney Shurtz

Charles Rodney Shurtz was born March 30, 1933, the son of Georgia and Carl H. Shurtz. He passed away at the Benton Rehab facility on April 2, 2025. He was 92 years of age.

Rodney was raised on the State Game Farm in rural Jefferson County outside Mt. Vernon, IL. He attended Four Corner School in Blissville Township through eighth grade and graduated from Waltonville High School in 1951 where he participated in basketball and baseball.

Shortly after graduation, Rodney enlisted in the U.S. Navy and left for Great Lakes Naval Training Center to take their recruit training. While attending this center, he was chosen Honorman of his recruit company by his fellow sailors.

After basic training, he received a fleet assignment on a destroyer, the USS Hailey. The ship was on a world cruise and Rodney was one of nine crew members on a Navy Basketball team. They would play other crews and teams at each port. The cruise took him through the Panama Canal, back to San Diego, and then to Japan.

In 1956, Rodney met and began dating Marjorie Ann Elliston. They were married at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Vernon, IL. After marriage, they lived in Waltonville and Rodney worked for Western Electric, later AT&T, for 35 years. While in Waltonville, he served on the Unit 1 Grade and High School Board of Education.

In 1974, Rodney and Marjorie, with their four sons: Rod, Carl, Steve, and Jeff, moved to Benton where the boys continued their education, played in the band, and participated in multiple sports at Benton Consolidated High School.

In the early 1970s, Rodney became interested in bicycle riding and running. In 1983, he rode to Minot, North Dakota to visit relatives. For the first five days of the trip, he was accompanied by long-time friend Dave Severin. He completed the remaining 12 days of the 1,700-mile trip by himself.

Rodney continued his physical activities by running about 40 miles a week and competed in numerous 10K races and mini triathlons. In 1984, he took a backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon with 15 other hikers of diverse ages, cultures, languages, and physical shapes. At the age of 58, he answered a bicycle ad in Bike Centennial for a 470-mile bike ride through the Blue Ridge Parkway. In addition, Marjorie and Rodney enjoyed backpacking in the White Mountains, climbed Mt. Washington, and did hut-to-hut camping in the Appalachians in 1990.

Rodney spent much of his retirement time officiating track and cross-country meets and was Head Starter at the IHSA State Track Finals in 1998. In 2000, he was named Boys Track and Field Official of the Year. He was also Starter for the Jr. College Cross Country Nationals at Rend Lake Jr. College in 2007.

Rodney still fit into his Navy uniform and worked many Veterans Affairs in Waltonville. He was in charge of the firing squad in events such as military funerals and Memorial Day celebrations at Knob Prairie Cemetery in Waltonville. In 2018, accompanied by his son Rod, he took the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. where he enjoyed visiting all the military memorials while dressed in his Navy blues.

He loved hunting quail, deer, squirrels, and pheasant. Having two lakes on the property in Waltonville, allowed him to do lots of fishing and he took pride in maintaining the appearance of his property. He also enjoyed raising strawberries, peaches, and apples, and using his cider press to make apple cider. He was a Cubs fan (especially when they were winning) and enjoyed watching them win the World Series in 2016.

In his early years, Rodney attended the Universalist Church in Waltonville. In 1974, after moving to Benton, he became involved in the First United Methodist Church in Benton. Rodney and his sons helped build the parking lot on the north side of the church. He and Marjorie moved back to Waltonville in 1986 and Rodney was instrumental in remodeling the basement of the Waltonville Methodist Church and doing several projects to improve the church. Rodney and Marjorie moved back to Benton in 2016 and have missed very few Sundays in attending Church.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie, four sons from Benton, IL: Rod (Tonya), Carl (Susan), Steve, and Jeff, grandchildren: Seiger (Leah) of Benton, IL, Sayler (Carson) of Herrin, IL, Macy of Herrin, IL, Natasha (Mike) Dolan of Bettendorf, IA, Nathan Shurtz of Saint Petersburg, FL, Georgie and Stricker of Benton IL, and great-grandchildren: Brittyn, Elam, Sunny, Grant, Drew, Collin, Jack, one sister Barb Shurtz of Waltonville, and sister-in-law Mary Shurtz, of Virginia Beach, VA., brother and sister-in-law Marvin and Shelby Elliston, and brother and sister-in-law Jim and Madelyn Slankard of Waltonville. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, friends, and a special cat named "Cat."

Rodney was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Georgia (Fairchild) Shurtz, three brothers: Roger Shurtz, Max Shurtz, A.J. Shurtz, and two sisters: Dorothy Ferris, Carlyn Hirons, granddaughter Brittani Shurtz, mother and father-in-law, Delia and Russell Elliston, and brother and sister-in-law, David and Shirley Reeves.

A Graveside Service will be held Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 11:00 am at Knob Prairie Cemetery in Waltonville, Illinois. Interment will follow. Full Military Honors will be conducted at the cemetery by the American Legion Post #141. Memorials may be made in Charles' honor to the American Cancer Society.

Call Newell Funeral Home at 618-246-0100 or visit newellfuneralhome.com for further information.