Rodney Pfahning

Rodney “Poppy” Pfahning, 59, went to be with his Lord and Savior on January 3, 2017 in Mansfield Methodist Hospital in Mansfield, Texas. Rodney was a resident of Mansfield since 1988. Family and friends will gather to celebrate his life at 2 p.m. Saturday at Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Mansfield. He will be laid to rest at Britton Cemetery in Britton.
Rodney was born in Wells, MN on November 2, 1957, the oldest of a family of five children. Known as “Poppy” since becoming a grandfather in 2010. Rodney’s family moved to Bedford, Texas when he was 14 years old. He always said he got here as fast as he could. He graduated from L.D. Bell in Hurst in 1976 and continued his education in an Electrical Apprenticeship Program and became a Licensed Journeyman Electrician. After about 10 years working for Sodd Electric in Arlington, TX, Rodney began working as the Operations Manager for his home church, Tate Springs Baptist Church in Arlington, TX, in 1992. It was more than a job for Rodney, it was a ministry where he could meet the needs of his church family. In 1998, Rodney began working as a building engineer for Primera Companies, Inc. in their Arlington office. He would have been there 20 years in February. Rodney had an amazing work ethic, serving and meeting the needs of their tenants in three office buildings.
On February 2, 1985, Rodney married Dawn Grant and they had two daughters, Sarah, 28, and Hannah, 24. He was “Poppy” to two precious grandsons, Lucas, 6, and Logan, 4. Poppy was their favorite person in the world. He finally got his boys. He felt blessed to be able to help raise his “boys”.
Rodney and his family joined Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in 2005. He was honored to be ordained as a deacon in 2007. He served his church family in many ways, but most will remember him greeting them at the front door every Sunday with a big smile and a bear hug.
Rodney loved to travel, listen to music, watch old TV shows, shop, play with his dogs, cook, and take pictures of sunrises and sunsets. He loved taking care of his family. He was a man of faith who loved the Lord.
Rodney was preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Arlette.
Rodney is survived by his spouse, Dawn; his daughters, Sarah and Hannah; his grandsons, Lucas and Logan; his brothers, Kerry, Kevin and Todd; his sister, Rhonda Reyes; his sisters-in-law, Karen Grant and Pam Pfahning, numerous nieces and nephews and a very large church family.
In lieu of flowers, please donate college funds for Rodney’s grandsons, Lucas and Logan. Donate online at:
Lucas Tatlock
https://gift.uesp.org/47F35Z

Logan Tatlock
https://gift.uesp.org/MU1QWC