DR. RODNEY FELIPE BEETAR
1941-2020
Dr. Rodney Felipe Beetar, age 78, of Pearland, Texas passed away peacefully on Friday, April 24, 2020. After a brief battle with failing health, he died with his wife, Kathleen, and his son, Patrick, by his side.
Rodney was born on May 31, 1941 in Cartagena, Colombia to Alfredo and Andrea Beetar. From an early age, he was shown to be very studious and earned top honors from LaSalle School and eventually went on to study dentistry at the University of Cartagena in Colombia. There he met his best friend Amaury de la Espriella, with whom he spoke with every day up to the time of his death. After completing a rural dentistry year with Amaury, he moved to the United States where he completed a residency in prosthodontics at St. Louis University School of Dentistry, followed by a residency in maxillofacial prosthodontics at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. While studying in St. Louis, he met his wife of 49 years, Kathleen. Together Rodney and Kathleen started their lifelong adventure together by moving to Colombia for 3 years, where he served in the Colombian Navy as a dentist. Upon completion of his naval requirements, they moved to Omaha, Nebraska where he completed an advanced standing program to obtain his Doctorate of Dental Surgery at Creighton University.
Rodney and Kathleen moved to Houston, Texas in 1975 where he served as faculty at the University of Texas School of Dentistry until December 2019, retiring after 45 years as a clinical professor. Rodney’s lifelong passion was dental education, and would often be found helping students with their patient cases and giving them the much needed encouragement to continue their rigorous studies. Many of his students looked to him as a father figure and mentor; he was someone who was always willing to listen and make his students smile with his joyful disposition. His love for teaching was exemplified by receiving the most teaching awards in the history of the school of dentistry and the recent distinction of being awarded Professor Emeritus.
Rodney also enjoyed hunting and fishing, and had plans to take up woodworking in his retirement.
He is survived by his wife Kathleen Ann Britt Beetar, son Robert James Beetar, son Patrick Daniel Beetar and his wife Sanaz Beetar, and his granddaughter Darya Beetar, in addition to another granddaughter expected this summer.
Rodney was predeceased by his father Alfredo Beetar, mother Andrea Beetar, and sister Claudette Beetar.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 1, 2020 from 5-8 pm with a rosary to begin at 7 p.m. at Crowder Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 10 a.m. in the chapel of Crowder Funeral Home; 2422 E. Broadway St, Pearland, TX 77581. The graveside interment will be reserved for family only due to a tenperson limit.