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Stephen Rodeback Obituary

Stephen Rex Rodeback

1944-2021

Saratoga Springs, UT—Stephen Rex Rodeback, 77, passed peacefully in his home on October 5, 2021 after a 3-year battle with cancer. He spent his final days surrounded by close family and friends.

Stephen was born June 3, 1944 to Rexal Francis Rodeback and Evelyn June Wright in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was the 4th of 9 children and spent his early years in Centerville, Utah before moving to Moses Lake, Washington where his parents began farming, a trade he vowed to never continue.

He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a full-time missionary in the Great Lakes Mission, Illinois from 1963 to 1965. Following his mission, he served in the Army Reserve and following obtained an associate's degree from LDS Business College.

Stephen met and married Shauna K. Thomas (now Zwahlen) in 1967 and started his family. Together they had 3 daughters—Tiffany, Vanessa, and Heidi.

He pursued his love of trains into a career with the Union Pacific Railroad that lasted over 36 years and included transfers to Nebraska, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. It was in Louisiana that he met June Dauzat and the two were married 1993. Upon his retirement, Stephen moved back to Utah where he spent the remainder of his life and began a second and more loved career driving a school bus for the Alpine School District for 13 years.

His greatest joy was spending time with family and friends, playing cards, frying turkeys, laughing, and just being together with those he loved. Many weekends were spent off-roading in his ATV, a hobby he shared with June, his puppies Sampson and Drew, and a dear group of friends.

Stephen is survived by his beloved "bride", June; his 3 daughters, Tiffany Nelson, Vanessa (Tony) Zito, Heidi (Eric) Carver; stepchildren, Christopher (Tricia) Cornwell, Sandra (Leonard) Lemoine; 11 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; and siblings, Rondald (Gelene) Rodeback, June (Earl) Halvas, Gerald (Renee) Rodeback, Keith (Melodie) Rodeback, Sally (Steven) Francom, Eileen (Don) Rooks, and Peter (Jill) Rodeback. He is preceeded in death by his father, mother, and brother, Dean Rodeback.

"I can't wait to meet the dinosaurs."

~Stephen-At time of diagnosis.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Salt Lake Tribune from Oct. 14 to Oct. 19, 2021.

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Bob McCarthy

October 25, 2021

I always enjoyed the time I spent with Stephen and Keith while in the Army Reserve. Stephen was a great guy and friend

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