Rodney Dean Nesius, 73, of Round Grove, died Monday, January 5, 2015 at his home with his loved ones. He was born May 16, 1941 in Rensselaer to the late Raymond Mathew Nesius and Alyce Phoebe Troxel Nesius Schuh. He was a 1959 graduate of Chalmers High School and graduated from Ball State Teachers College in 1963 with a Bachelors Degree in History, Health, and Physical Education. He then obtained his Masters of Science in Education from Purdue in 1971. In 1956 while in the cattle barn at the White County Fair, Rod met the love of his life Elaine Mardel Sheets. Rod and Elaine were married on March 11, 1961 at Badger Grove Community Baptist Church in Brookston. She survives. The couple built their home in Round Grove Township in 1970 on the Sheets Farm. Rod was a member of Badger Grove Community Baptist Church where he was a Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, S.S. teacher, and held offices in the Badger Builder Class. Rod was a teacher in Cromwell from 1963-1964, he then taught at Wolcott High School from 1964-1971 and at Tri-County High School from 1971- 1977. He was the last head basketball coach at Wolcott before the merging of the Wolcott and Remington schools into Tri-County. He was also the first head basketball coach at Tri-County High School. Many credit Rod and his winning basketball team for bringing the Wolcott and Remington communities together. He then managed Wolcott's Peoples Mill from 1977 - 1983, sold fertilizer from 1983-1995, and sold seed from 1995 until present day. Rod semi-retired in 2007. In his high school days Rod was a basketball player and pitcher for the baseball team, he ran track and participated in the long jump, the 100 meter and 220 meter sprints. He set records both locally and in the county including highest scoring basketball player in 1959. He held the 100 yard dash record for many years. He was also Class President and a 10 year 4-H member. He loved the cattle show ring, and led his three children through 10 years each of showing cattle. As an adult, Rod enjoyed playing cards, playing bingo, watching Purdue basketball games, was a Colts fan and he would read several newspapers daily. He was the second M.C. for the Miss White County Contest and was the" voice" of the White County Fair Hog Show for more than 10 years. His latest interest were his miniature donkeys. Rod and Elaine loved to travel and have traveled to England, Spain, Cancun, Mexico, Italy, Africa, the Bad Lands, Mount Rushmore, the Hoover Dam, Lake Leelanau, Traverse City, Michigan, Alaska, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and to Panama. Along with his wife, Elaine, he is survived by 3 children, Shane D. (Ann) Nesius, Shana L. Nesius (Brian) Lucas, Shaun D. Nesius; 2 sisters, Sunny (Gene) Ritchie, Lyna (Michael) Sauer Norris; 12 grandchildren; and 3 great grandchildren. Also he loved his in-laws and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Mathew Nesius and Alyce Phoebe Troxel Nesius Schuh. Friends may call from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Thursday, January 8, 2015 at Hartzler-Clapper Funeral Home, Brookston. Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, January 9, 2015 at the funeral home with Pastor Roger Strunk officiating. Interment will follow at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens Mausoleum in West Lafayette. Memorial contributions may be made in Rod's name to the American Cancer Society or the Badger Grove Community Baptist Church Memorial Fund.