Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | Noon
The Rodman siblings are all together again with the passing of Barbara Jean Rodman Johnson on Sept 30, 2025. Barb, age 90, was preceded in death by parents Anna and Joseph Rodman, and 6 sisters and 6 brothers. She is survived by loving husband of 65 years Richard and children Jennifer Eggers (Robert), Lynn Searle (Hugo) and Neil Johnson (Jill). She is the beloved grandmother of William, Lucy and Joey Eggers, Jake, Ashley and Nick Johnson and Carys Searle. Her fierce love of family made her a special Auntie to numerous nieces and nephews.
Barb was born September 22, 1935 in Hermansville, a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She was proud of her Croatian American heritage and her parent's immigrant story. Barb graduated valedictorian from Hermansville High School in 1953. She attended Michigan State University, graduating in 1957 with an elementary education degree, the first in her family to attend a 4 year university. She often said her years at MSU where the best of her life. She would boast that as a student she never missed a home football or basketball game. In her later years she would attend the MSU - Gopher basketball games and at one game she passed a note to Coach Izzo. In 2014, Barb and Dick made a "bucklist" trip to the Rose Bowl to watch MSU beat Stanford. Barb was an avid sports fan throughout her life, and top of her list were the Green Bay Packers. She was a Packer shareholder and made multiple trips to Lambeau Field for pre-season training camps.
Barb taught elementary school in Edina from 1957 - 1961, and later while her children where young, taught as a substitute in the Minneapolis School District. In 1975 she embarked on a new career with Dayton Hudson Corp. She excelled in her role as a sales clerk in the bed and bath department. She loved helping people pick out things to make their homes more beautiful and comfortable, and she had a knack for it. This led to her being honored in the Chairman's Club for top performers several times.
Barb became a friend to everyone she met.
Visitation is at 11 AM prior to the Mass of Christian Burial.
Memorials preferred to the N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care Fund at the U of MN Medical School.
