Rodney Lee Wolford

Rodney Lee Wolford, 51, of Phelps, KY, passed away Saturday, June 27, 2020 at Pikeville Medical Center.  Born February 2, 1969, Rodney was the only child of his late parents, Toby and Lois (Dotson) Wolford of Freeburn, Ky.  He was also preceded in death by his special family on his maternal side, grandparents Clarence and Fronia Dotson and aunt Bernis Casey.  Rodney was the oldest grandchild of the Dotsons who lovingly called their twelve grandchildren the “Dirty Dozen,” and those cousins who survive him:  Stephanie, Delia, Sheryl, Bobbie, Melanie, Kris, Michael, Andrea, Michele, Josh and Ashley, will remember and love him forever.

Rodney’s stomping ground was Gooslin Bottom and was filled with his best friends and his best times.  Hatfields on the right and McCoys on the left, Rodney loved to hunt with Jeff, Jerry “Dick” and Mark, and he loved to fish with Vinten.  Teresa and Eddie Smith were a second family, and “Little Eddie” was the brother Rodney never had.  Those who remember Jay’s Restaurant will recall Rodney’s daily visits and tries of luck on the poker machine.

Rodney attended Freeburn Elementary and was a 1989 graduate of Phelps High School.  He worked for Pike County Solid Waste before becoming disabled due to polycystic kidney disease, and so began his life-long battle for his health.  Once Rodney became a dialysis patient, he made friends across the Eastern Kentucky region including other patients, the drivers with Sandy Valley Transportation, and his dialysis health care team.  Rodney’s dialysis nurses were special people who loved and spoiled him, ordering food for him often and even having birthday parties at the center in his honor.

Good Shepherd Nursing Center was home to Rodney during his last several years.  Smoke breaks will not be the same without Rodney, but now, other residents may get a turn with the telephone because, most of the time, Rodney had the phone hoarded for talking with his many friends.  He was also guilty of hiding the remote for the television in the lounge he needed to control the channel, you know.

Rodney Wolford, “Big Rod” to his classmates, “Hammerhead” to his fellow HAM radio operators, gentle giant to all who knew him, will certainly be missed.  May he rest in peace.

Funeral services for Rodney will be conducted at 12:00 Noon Wednesday at the Jones and West Funeral Home with Reverends Mitch Bowling & Benny Freeman officiating. 

Burial will follow in the Billy Dotson Cemetery at Boardtree.

Visitation will be held 6:00-10:00P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home with special services at 7:00 P.M.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Jones & West Funeral Home of Phelps, KY.  The guestbook may be signed at www.joneswestfh.com.

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