Rodney Ault

Rodney Lee Ault, age 74, of Gnadenhutten, died peacefully, Thursday, August 10, 2023, while in the care of Community Hospice’s Truman House at New Philadelphia.

Rodney was born in Twin City Hospital at Dennison on August 3, 1949, one of ten children born to the late Charles and Elizabeth Reichman Ault.

He was a member of the last graduating class of the former Tuscarawas-Warwick High School and soon after graduation entered the United States Navy. He was a proud veteran who obtained the rank of Second-Class Petty Officer classified as an ASE ground support electrician. Rod served fourteen months aboard the USS Shangri-La, an Essex Class Aircraft Carrier. Much of this time was spent providing flight support for the ground forces fighting in South Vietnam. He was then transferred to the USS Wasp, another aircraft carrier, which was equipped to locate, track, and sink enemy submarines entering United States territory. Rod finished his service at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California where he taught proper operation of all mobile equipment used to move, service and start jet-powered aircraft. Even after his honorable discharge, Rod enjoyed maintaining a 50-plus-year friendship with his Navy buddy, Bob Lipinski.

Rod was employed by the former Alsco-Anaconda Company in Gnadenhutten where he spent 27 years prior to the company’s closing. He then spent the better part of a decade working for International Refractory and completed his career in 2014 with North American Construction where he served as a Project Manager and Installer. Throughout this time, he worked on refractory furnaces in many of the United States Honda plants.

Never able to turn down a project or an opportunity to work on anything with an engine, Rod kept himself busy helping family and friends with their own home improvement or repair projects. He had a natural gift that allowed him to build or fix just about anything. In his younger years, Rod enjoyed fishing on Lake Erie, hunting, and golfing. In his later years, he never turned down the opportunity to spend time with his family, especially his beloved granddaughters.

Rod will be deeply missed by his wife of 48 years, the former Mary Jane Wolf whom he married on May 3, 1975; a son, Rodney L. Ault, II, of Gnadenhutten; a daughter, Stacey (Brent) Mullet of Dover; his granddaughters, Kiera and Kaiya Mullet; his siblings, Jim Ault, Doris Hina, Joan Horsfall, Marilyn Burgess, and Lana O’Brien as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Rod was preceded in death by siblings, David Ault, Ronnie Ault, Dick Ault, and Elaine Beamer.

In honoring Rod’s wishes, there will be no public visitation or services. Cremation care is being arranged by the Geib Funeral Center at Dover.

In gratitude for their exemplary care and compassion, the family requests memorial contributions in Rod’s name be directed to Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Avenue SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.