Rodney Arthur Rentschler

May 18, 1949 – February 14, 2019

Rod passed away suddenly on February 14th at the age of 69 in Richmond, CA. His passing on Valentine’s Day is an incredible loss to so many since he had an immeasurable love for family, friends, and life. Rod was born on May 18, 1949 in Richmond, CA. He was a lifelong Bay Area resident and attended Sheldon School and DeAnza Jr./Sr. High School in El Sobrante, as well as San Jose State University. At 12 years old, Rod was one of the first children to undergo open heart surgery at Oakland Children’s Hospital to correct a serious heart murmur. This experience sparked a philanthropic spirit that led him to fundraise and donate to Children’s Hospital and many other charities over the years.

After over 28 years with PacBell/SBC, Rod retired and eagerly pursued his second passion fueled career: Ushering. In retirement, Rod spent nearly 2 decades as an usher for the Oakland A’s, Raiders and Warriors and managed to include a few days a month as a docent at the San Francisco Giants stadium. His love of sports and the outdoors translated to creating oncein-a-lifetime moments for visitors to Bay Area sporting events. Rod prided himself on remembering the name of fans who sat in his section and would often catch people off guard with this thoughtful talent. Whether it was getting an MLB game ball for a child enjoying a day at the park or setting up an autograph opportunity for an avid Raiders fan, Rod took extreme pride in making people feel special and creating incredible memories for people.

Rod’s free time was filled with travel, music and art. Stinson Beach and Briones Park were regular destinations where you’d usually find a shirtless Rod walking along with a frizbee and “catching some rays”. Rod attended more concerts than anyone could count, and his T-shirt drawer draws a map of his love of music. If he wasn’t ushering the concert, then he was likely in the audience. Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones were two of his favorites, but there really wasn’t a music genre that Rod didn’t like. One of Rod’s many talents included creating handmade stained-glass pieces. He loved making these unique, personalized gifts for special people in his life.

Carving out time for family was a huge part of life. With 8 grandkids, Rod spread himself out and took pride in being the best “Popo” out there. Between school pick-ups, countless youth sporting events, recitals, and birthday celebrations, Popo made it a priority to be there whenever and wherever. His annual trip with his daughters and their families was a cherished tradition that he started in 2013. He loved vacations and planned many excursions with his wife and friends that included everything from beaches and cabins in the mountains to U.S. ballparks and National Park visits.

Rod was predeceased by his beloved parents, Fred and Jean Rentschler. He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann, daughters, Raquel (Braden) and René (Daniel), and step sons Christopher (Mariel) and Jeremy (Pam). He is also survived by his treasured grandchildren, Alyssa, Ryan, Jason, Lala, Daniel, Rafael, Dominic, and Kaylee. Rod is survived by his siblings, brother Rick (Pat) and his ‘Sis’ Ann (Paul), his nephews, Ken Rentschler and Ray Rohme, niece, Courtney Carson, and his cherished extended family and friends.

Words cannot sum up a life so full, and yet so unfinished like Rod’s. He will be greatly missed by many family members and friends due in part to his generosity, authentic kindness and his genuine spirit. He leaves so many people with a legacy of love and memories. Services will be held at St. David’s of Wales in Richmond at 12:30pm on Saturday, March 2, 2019. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Rod’s memory can be made to the Benioff Children’s Hospital – Oakland, SF Giants Community Fund or the Oakland A’s Community Fund.