Rodney L. Carey, 61, of Rock Island, passed away Thursday, December 28, 2017 at UnityPoint Health – Trinity, Rock Island ER.  A Celebration of Life gathering will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 201 4 ^th Ave. E, Milan.  Memorials may be made in care of the family for a fund to be designated later.

Rod was born on February 24, 1956 in Rock Island, a son of Roscoe E. and Gertrude E. (Albertson) Carey.  He married Mary A. Grossell on July 26, 1975 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Milan.  Rod worked as a Machine Shop Manager at Sivyer Steel.  He retired in 2016 after 22 years of service.  Rod was a proud family man who enjoyed woodworking, mushroom hunting and being the "best Papa in the world."  He also enjoyed yard work, often volunteering to help family members with their yards.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Mary; children, Christina Klauer, Rock Island; Jamie (James) Baxter, Moline and Jeff (Leslie) Carey, Milan; grandchildren, Alyssa, Madilynn, Isabelle and Olivia Klauer; and Tristan and Kaitlynn Baxter; mother, Gertrude Carey, Milan; siblings, Ron (Wendy) Carey, DeSoto, Ill., Sheila (Jerry) Nesbitt, Steve (Peggy) Carey, Jackie (Mark) Hendershot, all of Rock Island and Bob (Randy) Carey-Walden, Springfield, Ill.  Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, other loving family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father.