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William M. Rodman, 96, mayor of El Dorado from 1975 to 1978, passed away at his residence Wednesday, July 30, 2008. He was born in Benton, on Aug. 31, 1911, the son of Evan Shelby Rodman and Georgia McClue Rodman.

The family moved to Little Rock at the end of the first World War, where his father, a banker, served as vice-president and cashier of the old Bankers’ Trust Co., now First Commercial National Bank of Little Rock. (Regions Bank)

Mr. Rodman attended Central High School and Hendrix College, and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1933 with a degree in business administration. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After his graduation from college he was employed as a bookkeeper, and later, as a teller at the Commercial National Bank in Little Rock. In 1937, he accepted a job with the Lion Oil Co. in El Dorado as accountant.

He was inducted into the Army in 1942 and served overseas for 18 months, having participated in the Normandy Invasion. He was discharged as a captain in 1946 and returned to The Lion Oil Co. He had various jobs in the accounting department at Lion Oil and was named treasurer and controller of Lion Oil Co. in 1961.

He was transferred to St. Louis, Mo., after the Monsanto Company acquired Lion Oil, and served there as controller for one of Monsanto’s four world-wide operating divisions, until his retirement in 1973.

Mr. Rodman returned to El Dorado in 1973 and was elected mayor of the city of El Dorado in 1975. He did not run for re-election.

He was a former member of the El Dorado School Board, a former member of the Financial Executive’s Institute of America, and a former member of the statewide Policy Advisory Committee to Promote Clean Air and Water in the State, having been appointed to the post by then Governor David Pryor.

He received El Dorado’s Outstanding Citizen Award in 1976.

Mr. Rodman served as general chairman of the United Way campaign in 1977, and as president of the United Way board of directors in 1981.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He was a member of the official board of the First United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the Frances Asbury Sunday School class, having formerly served as president. He was past president of the Lion Oil Credit Union.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Wade Rodman; his parents; his brother, Lt. Emmett Rodman, a bomber pilot who was killed in action during World War II; and by his sister, Mrs. Evelyn Rodman Green of Little Rock.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Linda Rodman Hall and her husband, Louie, of El Dorado and Mrs. Marilyn Rodman Newcome and her husband, Joel, of Portland; and five grandchildren, Sarah Hall Datt, John Grant Hall, Laura Hall LaRue, Marie Morgan Newcome and Rebecca Dean Newcome.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Pam Brule officiating following a private burial under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 201 S. Hill, El Dorado, AR 71730 or Life Touch Hospice, 2301 Champagnolle Road, El Dorado, AR 71730.

The family will be at 1904 W. Cedar.

An online guest registry is available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com