Rodney Byars

Rodney A. Byars, 67, of Davenport, died peacefully at home with his beloved family at his side on Sunday, June 19, 2011 after fighting a courageous 1 ½ year battle with cancer.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Thursday, June 23, 2011 at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. Graveside services will be held at 1:30 P.M., Friday, June 24, 2011 at the Rock Island National Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois. Those wishing to attend the service should gather at the funeral home by 1:00 P.M. on Friday. Memorials may be made to Gilda’s Club of the Quad-Cities or to Genesis Hospice.

Rod was born January 23, 1944 in Edinburg, North Dakota, the son of Ralph & Harriet (Sunderlund) Byars. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1963 where he was awarded a medal for good conduct.

Rod built Midstates Water Technology in Davenport from the ground up and was the owner and president for over twenty years until he retired this year due to his illness.

His favorite place to go was his cabin on the Mississippi River which he called his summer home. He enjoyed riding his four-wheelers and golf cart with his children and grandchildren and fishing off the dock that his son-in-law, Tim helped him build. He also enjoyed talking with his friends up and down the road where his cabin was located.

Rod loved tropical fish and built and maintained aquariums for years. He was known for being able to recall exact aquatic names for each fish. Rod also loved working in his yard, planting flowers and landscaping.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Judy Jones; his daughters, Lisha (Tim) Steiniger of Davenport, Michelle Peterson of Davenport and Ronda Dessauer of Crown Point, Indiana; his son, Matthew Jones of Lake Villa, Illinois; his step-children, Todd & Amy Jones; seventeen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and his brothers, Ronnie, Larry, Keith, LeAlan, Chuck & Brad Byars.

Rod was preceded in death by his parents; a newborn son, Michael; and his grandson, Justin Welch.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Rod’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.