Roy Roderick

Obituary of Roy Roderick

Please share a memory of Roy to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.

View Tribute Book

The Reverend Roy Roderick, 91 of Morristown, NJ, formerly of Mt. Arlington, passed away on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

Born in March 1934 to Joseph and Elva (nee Lucas) Roderick in Queens, NY, Roy attended P.S. 11 and De Witt Clinton High School. He went on to City College of NY and Wagner Lutheran College, obtaining his associate's degree. Roy then attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, and was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternities and obtained his bachelor's degree in 1959.

Roy was ordained by the United Lutheran Synod of New York and New England in May 1959 and went on to serve God at St. John's Lutheran Church of New Utrecht in Brooklyn and then Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Bellmore, NY before retiring in 1991. He also served as a visitation pastor at Redeemer L.C. Church in Succasunna, NJ for almost a year in 2000-2001.

During this time, Roy also served as the pastor in various capacities for State Mental Hospital, near Philadelphia; Coney Island Hospital, Victory Memorial Hospital, and the V.A. Hospital, all in NYC; and chaplain for the Smithville South (NY). and the Mt. Arlington (NJ) Volunteer Fire Departments and the Borough of Mt. Arlington and the Visiting Nurse Association of North New Jersey.

He served two terms as Dean of Pastors & Congregations of the Brooklyn & Staten Island District of the New York Synod of L.C.A.; as well as one term as a member of the Executive Board of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the L.C.A.

Roy enjoyed woodworking, oil painting, reading, model railroading and miniature furniture and dollhouses. He created wooden model ships and nurtured his flowers and house plants. Roy also collected Danish and Spanish porcelain. He loved spending time with his family, his congregation and his friends. Roy especially loved being around his six grandchildren.

He traveled to Europe, the U.S.S.R, Thailand, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel. Roy also received a study grant to attend Canterbury, England and Geneva, Switzerland.

Predeceased by his wife, Barbara (nee Rock); his parents and his sister, Barbara Roderick O'Connell; Roy is survived by his children, Andrew and his wife, Dawn; and Anne and her husband, Robert Lesko; his grandchildren, Zachary, Caitlin and Thomas Lesko; and Jakob, Ryan and Lauren Roderick; as well as extended family and friends.

Services were private and arranged through Codey & Mackey Funeral Home of Boonton, NJ. To share condolences with the family, please visit CodeyMackeyFH.com. A Memorial Service will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Roy's honor to the Alzheimer's Association would be most appreciated.