John F. Roddy, 86, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Thursday May 9, 2024 after a long and brave battle with Alzheimer's.  He is survived by his wife of sixty-one years, Eleanor (Barry), his son, Colonel (ret) John (Elizabeth) Roddy; grandsons, John (Victoria) Roddy, Matthew (fiancée Katie); son, Kenneth, and granddaughter, Kiera.

John was born in Brooklyn, NY on 17 January 1938, the fifth of six children, to William and Madeline Roddy.   In his later years, John liked to share stories of his youth, such as snagging beer from the nearby Rheingold Brewery, to dump the beer, and redeem the bottle deposits so that he could see a movie or attend a baseball game.    Despite growing up a stone's throw away from Ebbet's Field - John was a lifelong Yankee fan a passion he handed down to his sons and grandchildren.  In 1956, John joined the U.S. Army and served for six years, three years active and three in the New York National Guard.  While on active-duty John served in Germany and in the same unit as Elvis Presley.

In 1965, John joined the New York City Fire Department where he served with distinction for more than 22 years.  During his tenure with the NYFD John was a proud member of Ladder 124 (Tonka Truck) – which for two years in the 1970's had the distinction of being the busiest fire company in the world. In 1972, John and Eleanor moved their young family to Mount Sinai, NY to give their children the opportunities they never enjoyed.  John and Eleanor resided in Mount Sinai for 47 years during which time John served, in many capacities, as a volunteer firefighter for the Mount Sinai Fire Department.

In 2019, John and Eleanor relocated to Ooltewah, Tennessee to escape the harsh winters of New York and be closer to family.

John was a caring husband, father, grandfather, and a mentor to many.  He enjoyed spending his time: with his family, in the gym, repairing anything, sipping coffee with friends at the firehouse, or sitting on his back porch listening to a Yankee game on a nice summer's evening.  John was immensely proud of his grandchildren: John Michael, Jr. and his wife, Victoria – both Lieutenants in the Coast Guard assigned to Portsmouth, Virginia; Kiera – pursuing a Master's Degree in Journalism in Europe, Matthew, a Physics PhD Candidate at Cornell University, and his fiancée Katie, a Speech Language Pathologist.  John will be deeply missed by many.

The family extends a special thank you to Hearth Hospice of Chattanooga and the Lantern at Morning Pointe for the care provided.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, June 24, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. at Chattanooga National Cemetery, where John will be laid to rest with military honors.  A Celebration of Life will be held after the service.

Please share your memories and express condolences to the family on their online guestbook.