Thomas “Tom” Allen Rodabaugh was born on March 10, 1941, near Osceola, Missouri. He passed away peacefully on Saturday September 5, 2026, in the presence of his family.
Tom grew up working on the farm with his brothers and graduated from Appleton City High School in 1959. He then moved to Kansas City to work for Turf Equipment while attending night school to learn the craft of auto body repair.
Tom met Jo Susan “Sue” Neuenschwander in high school when they were set up on a blind date. They wed on December 31, 1960 and rang in 65 new years together. They were blessed with three sons: Christopher “Chris” Allen, Curtis Lee, and Danny “Dan” Joe. Their first home was in Bolivar, Missouri; they also lived in Lowry City and Osceola before purchasing their own farm in 1976.
He founded Tom’s Body Shop in Osceola in 1963. Chris and Dan worked alongside their pop for decades. Although Tom officially “retired” in 2003, he frequently “supervised” business operations at the “old shop” and its new Lowry City location Dan established in 2018.
Tom won dozens of trophies racing the #74 car at dirt tracks across mid-Missouri. He passed down his love of racing to the boys. Chris later drove the #74 as did his grandson Jaren Powrie. Tom also spent countless hours tending to his cows, square dancing with Sue by his side, and pulling his RV across the country behind his dually truck with family in tow.
“Papa Tom” enjoyed taking his grandchildren and great-grandchildren on tractor and gator rides across the farm. He was a master checkers and card player and never met a dessert he didn’t like. He passed on his stubbornness, competitive spirit, and work ethic down through the generations. They will forever remember Papa Tom’s smell of pipe tobacco.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents Edward Abram Rodabaugh and Zetta “Florence” (Haste) Rodabaugh; brothers Gene, Lynn and Ralph; sister Marie Barnes; and sons Curtis and Chris.
Tom is survived by his wife Sue; brother Dennis; son Dan (Patrice); grandchildren Danielle Burrow (Devin), Regina Pennington (Anthony), Bret (Olivia), and Rachelle; great-grandchildren Avery & Jaylen Greenwell, Scarlett Pennington, Hudson and Cecelia Burrow, and Thane and Pierce.
Services were held at Sheldon Goodrich Chapel, Osceola on September 12, with internment at Valley Center Cemetery, Deepwater, MO.
In lieu of flowers the family asks memorials be made to the Valley Center Cemetery C/O: Sheldon Goodrich Funeral Home P.O. Box 384 Osceola, MO 64776.
