of Wollongong
Passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with MND on Tuesday, 23rd June 2026. Beloved husband of Norma. Much loved brother and brother-in-law of Cheryl & Wayne Ashmore. Cherished uncle of Kate & Chad, Sarah & Shaun and great uncle of Ben, Alex, and Isabel. Rodney will be sadly missed by his loving family and many dear friends.
Aged 67 years
Forever in our Hearts
Family and friends are kindly invited to attend Rodney’s Funeral Service, to be held at H Parsons Funeral Home, 34 Belmore Street, Wollongong on Friday, 3rd July 2026 at 2.30pm.
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Funeral Details
Date & Time
2:30 pm, Fri 3 July 2026Venue
H Parsons Funeral Home, 34 Belmore St, Wollongong, New South Wales 2500, AUView on Google Maps
Funeral Director
H.Parsons Funeral Directors
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Funeral Director
H.Parsons Funeral Directors
100% Australian, H.Parsons has been serving the NSW South Coast since 1893.(02) 4228 9622
info@hparsons.com.au
34 Belmore St, Wollongong, New South Wales 2500
http://www.hparsons.com.au
May my dear friend and former boss, Rodney, rest in peace!
My sincerest condolences to Rodney’s wife Norma and to Rodney’s family!
Rodney was a wonderful human being and a great boss!
Rod was a valued work colleague and a lovely man.
Thinking of all those who loved him at this incredibly sad time and wishing him safe travels on his next journey.
Vale Rodney and my sincere condolences to the family. I worked with Rodney for several years at Virgin and remember him as a perpetually positive person with a love of a good yarn and and a thirst for travel. May you continue to travel the world Rodney…
My beautiful Uncle, full of love and wisdom. You have left a hole deep in my heart. You fought so hard, and I am so incredibly proud of you. You will always be loved and never forgotten. Whilst you continue to travel the world… I know you will always be with me.
Love you so very much, FN Sarah x
Dearest Rodney, you were more than an Uncle. You were a second father, a friend and a wise mentor all in one. How I will miss our long deep discussions and the many laughs we had along the way being silly together. The world goes on turning but it’s never going to be quite the same. The love, joy and fun you brought to all of our lives was immeasurable. I will always cherish the final days we had with you. Quiet moments of just being in your company. Your brave fight with this terrible illness and gift of life through organ donation was .nothing short of inspirational. Fly high. Love you lots. Xx
Our sincere gratitude for Rodney being part of our lives; his generosity and friendship will be always in our hearts. An unselfish life well lived and loved by all who knew him . He was always strongly devoted to family , we extend our deepest sympathy to Norma , Cheryl , Wayne, Kate and Chad , Ben , Alex and Issy, Sarah and Sean ,
To my dear brother Rodney. I have been with you from your first day of life until your last. We have shared many ups and downs over the past 67 years and with Wayne over the past 54 years. You were like a brother to him as he was to you.You fought an incredible battle with this terrible disease and maintained your sharp mind and sense of humour until the very end. We will miss you dearly at all our family gatherings and the joy and happiness you always brought not only to us but to your Nieces and Great Nephews and Niece. We have some wonderful travel memories with you as well. We are very proud of you for being an Organ Donor and for giving two people the opportunity to extend their lives.There is a big hole left in our hearts that cannot be replaced but we are grateful you are now At Peace and no longer suffering. As always keep on travelling!
Our sincere condolences to Norma, Cheryl, Wayne, Kate, Chad, Ben, Alex and Issy, Sarah and Shaun following the passing of Rodney after his courageous battle with MND. We feel blessed to have known Rodney, and will always remember the times that we have spent with him and the family. Forever at peace, but continuing his travels.
Deepest condolences to Rodney’s family.
I always enjoyed our interaction in those wonderful days at QF.
Our deepest condolences to Rod’s family and especially to our dear friend and colleague Norma.
Even though we only met Rod a few times, it was obvious how happy you made each other and how much you enjoyed traveling the world together.
You will cherish those memories forever.
Vale, our dearest friend Rodney.
Kishore and I will always cherish the time we spent with you and lovely Norma.
Words cannot fully express our deep sadness and our heartfelt sympathy for Norma, Cheryl, Wayne, Kate, Chad, Sarah and Shaun.
I will always value our many discussions about the airline industry and the advice you shared over the many years of our friendship.
RIP dearest friend, you are no longer suffering. 😢
Vale, our dearest friend Rodney.
Kishore and I will always cherish the time we spent with you and lovely Norma.
Words cannot fully express our deep sadness and our heartfelt sympathy for Norma, Cheryl, Wayne, Kate, Chad, Sarah and Shaun.
I will always value our many discussions about the airline industry and the advice you shared over the many years of our friendship.
RIP dearest friend, you are no longer suffering. 😢
To my wonderful neighbour Rod, I will always cherish our chats out the front of our homes. You were such a kind, knowledgeable and brave man. It was a privilege to know you. My deepest condolences to Norma and all of Rod’s family. You are in my thoughts.
After our family’s long association with the Williams and Ashmore families, going way back to 1964, we are so very sad about Rodney’s passing which came way too soon. The gap he has left will be impossible to fill but the memories he leaves are sure to be joyous and full of love, laughter and many great travel stories. So proud of Rod who faced something so insurmountable but still found the compassion and generosity to help others via organ donation.
To dear Norma, Cheryl & Wayne, Kate &. Chad, Sarah & Shaun, Ben, Alex and Isabel, we wish you comfort together in your loss.
Rod, we met you through Terry in 2009. We’ll never forget our boat trip in Sydney Harbour with that amazing Chardonnay.
Together with Terry, and later Norma too, you gave us a real insight into the Australian way of life.
After all, we were able to give you a bit of an insight into Germany.
That trip, and the others in Australia, as well as your incomparably quirky sense of humour, created a special bond.
We had a lot of fun, but we were also able to discuss serious topics. You’ve enriched our lives and we will always keep you in our hearts!
Rest in peace.
Dear Rod, we were saddened to hear of your passing. Although we only had the chance to meet briefly, it was clear that you were a kind and caring person. You showed warmth and kindness to us. We pray for your eternal rest and for comfort and strength for Norma and the whole family during this difficult time.
Dear Norma and Rod’s lovely family,
Please accept our deepest condolences on the passing of Rod. He was a truly wonderful friend.
He is now at peace, resting with the quiet satisfaction of a life filled with great accomplishments and the profound happiness he shared with the love of his life.
Wishing you comfort and strength during this difficult time.
Dear Rod, we will always love you.
My sincere condolences to Rod’s family and close friends.
I had the pleasure of his acquaintance at Qantas in the 1990s and 2000s and always found him to be inquisitive, thoughtful and a true agent for the good of Qantas.
And quite apart from that he was a great guy with a sharp sense of humour and appreciation of a good chat.
A great loss after what was obviously a difficult time.
Dear Rod we will miss you. You were an amazingly kind, funny, gentle soul and clever to boot. You gave so much of yourself and lived your life to its fullest. We only knew you for five years but you left an impression and a blessing to keep living with kindness and gratitude. We’ll have a few champagnes for you. So much respect and love ❤️ Meg and Tony
It was with great sadness that I learned of Rodney’s passing.
I had the privilege of meeting Rodney on several occasions, and I cherish the memories of those encounters. When I saw him for the last time last September in his native Australia, I realized that this would likely be our final farewell; I am all the more grateful today for the time we shared.
Rodney was a loving, humorous, and ever-helpful person who brought warmth and lightness into the lives of others. To my son, he was a true friend—the best friend one could wish for.
Even though his passing after a hard-fought battle did not come unexpectedly, that does not make saying goodbye any easier. In Rodney, we have lost a truly special person who was cherished and loved by everyone who knew him. My thoughts are with you, dear Norma, as well as your family and all who knew him. With quiet remembrance and heartfelt sympathy, Sonia.
Dear Rodney,
It is with great sadness that I learned of your passing.
For many years, you were a loyal and dear friend to my brother Markus. Your friendship transcended borders and distances and was truly special.
What I will always associate with you is your wonderful sense of humor. Wherever you were, there was laughter. Your cheerful nature brought smiles to people’s faces and made everyone feel welcome. Your zest for life was infectious and will never be forgotten.
My deepest sympathies go out to your family and all who loved you. May they find strength and comfort in the many beautiful memories of you.
Rest in peace, dear Rodney. You will live on in our hearts—through your laughter, your humor, and the many happy moments you shared with us.
Petra
O mundo ficou um pouco mais triste com sua partida. Ser humano incrível que exalava alegria, luz e amor pela vida. Que os anjos do Senhor cuidem de ti e que, daí onde está olhe pra nós com o mesmo carinho que lembramos de ti. Seja feliz deste lado, cá ficamos mais um tempo, vivendo a cada dia , esperando o dia do reencontro, o dia em que nossos entes queridos nos darão as boas vindas à vida espiritual. Sua passagem pelas vidas em que tocou foi substancial e, tenho certeza que, cada um com suas lembranças irá eternizar sua essência. À esposa Norma, sua família e amigos, envio minhas orações e peço aos anjos que cuidem de seus corações e que, cada dia, a dor se torne mais amena e passe a ser uma lembrança de amor, alegria, companheirismo e cheia de momentos memoráveis. Gratidão por ter passado pela minha linha do tempo. Paz e bem!
Also worked closely with Rodney at Qantas in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Rodney was a real pleasure to work with – an independent thinker, curious and always super reliable – all mixed with a healthy sense of humour and perspective. And we had fun with frequent identity mix ups as our names are very similar – and were in similar roles. Rodney – may your navigation lights shine brightly in the night sky. Condolences to his lovely family & friends.