Rodney Osbahr

Rodney James Osbahr, son of Merel and Trinidad (Torres) Osbahr, was born on February 24, 1940, in Avoca, Iowa. He attended Avoca High School until 1958. On October 10, 1964, Rod was united in marriage to Lorraine Bjerring, and together they were blessed with three children: Kimberly, Shawn, and Ryan.

Rod spent most of his working years in the construction and excavation industry. He was an entrepreneur and owned and operated Rod Osbahr Construction and later Rod Osbahr Excavation. He and Lorraine also owned and operated Special-Tees, a retail and screen-printing apparel business. For several years, Rod drove truck for Steve Emken Trucking in Hancock. In the early 2000s, he built his excavation business from the ground up and continued moving dirt and rock and hauling grease for OSI Foods until he was 80 years old.

Outside of work, Rod enjoyed many hobbies and interests. He loved riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and took great pleasure in collecting antique Carnival Glass, wood duck decoys, guns, and hit-and-miss engines. An avid beekeeper for many years, Rod was well known throughout the area for his locally sourced RodO Honey, which became a favorite of many friends, neighbors and customers. He also enjoyed fishing, camping, and spending time at some of his favorite destinations, including Niobrara State Park in Nebraska and the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Rod passed away on Monday, June 15, 2026, at Elm Crest Nursing Home having attained the age of 86 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Trini and Merle; wife, Lorraine; daughter, Kim; brothers: Dale and Marty; and sister Mary Kay. Left to cherish his memory are his sons: Shawn (Melody) Osbahr of Shelby and Ryan (Amber) Osbahr of Council Bluffs; daughter-in-law, Laura Warner; grandchildren: Cole Osbahr, Owen Osbahr and Aiden Osbahr; siblings: Lila Schneider, Melody Cordes, LeRoy (Peggy) Osbahr, Merlin (Jackie) Osbahr and Gloria (Todd) Larsen; other family, caregivers and many, many friends.

His Celebration of Life will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the Station in Hancock.