FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FUNERAL HOMES SINCE 1881
| Rodney J. Barnhart |
| June 16, 1947 - April 14, 2026 |
|
ContactsFuneral Home - Wetzel and Son Funeral Home - 501 Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090 - 215-659-0911 - Map |
| Donation - American Red Cross of Southeastern PA - 700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 - 215-299-4000 - Map |
| Donation - Philadelphia Zoo - 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104 - 215-243-1100 - Map |
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The following obituary was composed by Rodney’s family:
Rodney J. Barnhart, of Wyncote, Pennsylvania, died on April 14, 2026. He was 78 years old. He was born June 16, 1947 in Warren, Pennsylvania to parents Richard and Virginia Barnhart. He is survived by his daughter, Emily J. Barnhart and Emily's partner Doug Sorensen. He is also survived by his sister, Amy Hollowell.
He grew up in Hatboro-Horsham, Pennsylvania where he met his high school sweetheart and wife, Diana, of 55 years until her passing in 2024. Together they shared a lifelong connection and love of music and performance. Rodney played musical instruments in bands and other venues the majority of his life, including the double bass, baritone horn and trumpet. He joined singing in mutual choirs where Diana was a professional singer, and enjoyed supporting her and making sound recordings of her singing programs. Their love of music gained them friends, and brought them on trips to countries throughout the world.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Drexel University and a Masters degree from University of Pennsylvania. For the majority of his career he worked as a professional engineer for the Naval Air Development Center and then for private companies performing governmental contracts for the Navy, ending his career at Lockheed Martin. In his spare time for a number of years, he worked on patenting inventions and working to form a start-up company with his friends.
Involvement in teaching and academics continued throughout his career and life, as he taught electrical engineering at the United States Naval Academy, and was proud to be appointed the first ever civilian professor at the Academy. He also taught at Penn State for approximately a decade, and participated in local MATHCOUNTS competitions through local schools. As some of his volunteer work, he was an American Red Cross CPR instructor trainer. And he also volunteered to accredit new engineering programs at colleges and universities throughout the country. Later in life he was a regular elections poll monitor.
Throughout his life, he always had a love of animals, raising several exotic birds, dogs and corralling Emily's pet gerbils. (He even raised mice as a kid for a local pet store, much to his mother's chagrin when they all escaped in the house in one incident.) He always made it a point to visit a city's zoo whenever he traveled on business trips.
While he was a man of few words, he will be missed as a constant and loving caretaker of his wife and a loving father.
Condolences may be sent to Emily and Doug via the message form below.
A Memorial Service will be planned in the coming months. Information will be added here as soon as it is available.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to American Red Cross of Southeastern PA, 700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 or Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
www.wetzelandson.com
The following obituary was composed by Rodney’s family:
Rodney J. Barnhart, of Wyncote, Pennsylvania, died on April 14, 2026. He was 78 years old. He was born June 16, 1947 in Warren, Pennsylvania to parents Richard and Virginia Barnhart. He is survived by his daughter, Emily J. Barnhart and Emily's partner Doug Sorensen. He is also survived by his sister, Amy Hollowell.
He grew up in Hatboro-Horsham, Pennsylvania where he met his high school sweetheart and wife, Diana, of 55 years until her passing in 2024. Together they shared a lifelong connection and love of music and performance. Rodney played musical instruments in bands and other venues the majority of his life, including the double bass, baritone horn and trumpet. He joined singing in mutual choirs where Diana was a professional singer, and enjoyed supporting her and making sound recordings of her singing programs. Their love of music gained them friends, and brought them on trips to countries throughout the world.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Drexel University and a Masters degree from University of Pennsylvania. For the majority of his career he worked as a professional engineer for the Naval Air Development Center and then for private companies performing governmental contracts for the Navy, ending his career at Lockheed Martin. In his spare time for a number of years, he worked on patenting inventions and working to form a start-up company with his friends.
Involvement in teaching and academics continued throughout his career and life, as he taught electrical engineering at the United States Naval Academy, and was proud to be appointed the first ever civilian professor at the Academy. He also taught at Penn State for approximately a decade, and participated in local MATHCOUNTS competitions through local schools. As some of his volunteer work, he was an American Red Cross CPR instructor trainer. And he also volunteered to accredit new engineering programs at colleges and universities throughout the country. Later in life he was a regular elections poll monitor.
Throughout his life, he always had a love of animals, raising several exotic birds, dogs and corralling Emily's pet gerbils. (He even raised mice as a kid for a local pet store, much to his mother's chagrin when they all escaped in the house in one incident.) He always made it a point to visit a city's zoo whenever he traveled on business trips.
While he was a man of few words, he will be missed as a constant and loving caretaker of his wife and a loving father.
Condolences may be sent to Emily and Doug via the message form below.
A Memorial Service will be planned in the coming months. Information will be added here as soon as it is available.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to American Red Cross of Southeastern PA, 700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 or Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
www.wetzelandson.com
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