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Area soldier stricken by heart attack

By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer

A heart attack Monday claimed the life of Akron native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rodney A. Jarvis who was on his third tour in Iraq, his family said.

''He is a casualty of war,'' his sister, Robin Bacola of Munroe Falls said Wednesday. ''He gave his life just as if he were hit by a bullet.''

Jarvis was scheduled to come home to his wife and two daughters in Louisiana in September.

The 34-year-old had last seen his family in March, when he was home on leave from Iraq.

His wife, Fashion Jarvis, was notified Monday that her husband had died of a heart attack.

''He was one of a kind,'' Fashion Jarvis said.

Her husband had been in good health and left on his latest tour in Iraq on June 1, 2008.

Calling hours for the career soldier will be Monday at the Smith Funeral Home in Newton, Texas, his wife's hometown. His funeral will be Tuesday at First Baptist Church on Main Street in Newton.

The chief warrant officer will be buried in the Hughes Cemetery in Bon Wier, Texas.

Rodney Jarvis joined the Army after graduating from Ellet High School in 1993. He met his wife the next year, and the couple were married in 1995.

''He loved serving his country,'' his wife said.

The couple had two daughters, Heather, 14; and Kourtnie, 13.

The soldier's mother, Betty Jarvis, formerly of Akron, lives with her daughter-in-law and granddaughters in Merryville, Louisiana, Fashion Jarvis said.

He is survived by five brothers, Russ, Randy, Rick and Tommy, all of the Akron area, and Ron Jarvis, of Reno, Nev., and one sister, Robin Bacola.

The soldier had previously served in Haiti and in Germany.

''He took care of paperwork to make sure they [his unit] had equipment,'' his wife said.

After 16 years in the Army, Jarvis had plans to retire in four years.

The couple bought a building in Newton, Texas, a town on the state's eastern edge, near the Louisiana border, and started a small business there. They later converted it into a convenience store called Fashion's Country Store, about a year ago.

The couple met through friends.

''I was going to see a friend of mine and he was there and that is when we met and we never parted,'' she said.

Jarvis was assigned to the 46th Engineer Battalion, 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based at Fort Polk, La.

According to an article on the Web site http://www.dvidshub.net, a service operated by Third Army/U.S. Army Central on behalf of the Department of the Army, Jarvis was overseeing the battalion's redeployment back to the U.S. as the property book officer.

''Everything I know about supply I've learned from Chief,'' Capt. Kelly Boone, logistics officer in charge and a close friend to Jarvis, said in the online article.

''He had a way of quoting things form the 'Book of Chief' and sometimes he would just make stuff up,'' Boone said in the article. ''He was hilarious.''

Fashion Jarvis said her husband was a ''wonderful man'' and ''everyone he met just loved him. He loved everybody and everybody loved him.''

Her husband, she said, ''gave 120 percent every time.''

His sister said the family is ''blown away'' by the news of his death, but she said their father, Robert Jarvis, an Army veteran, died of a heart attack at the age of 55.

''I'm struggling with it,'' Bacola said.

Because of his many deployments overseas, his sister said, her brother sacrificed much by being away from his family for long periods of time.

''He gave a lot for this country,'' she said.

The Army, his sister said, ''let him be a very good provider for his family.''


Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rodney Jarvis, 34, a native of Akron died suddenly July 13 from a medical condition on Camp Liberty, Iraq. Jarvis, a 15-year Army veteran, owned and operated a family convenient store with his wife Fashion, in Maryville, La., and was deployed to Iraq with the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), based in Fort Polk, La. He served as the property book officer for the battalion. (Photo by Capt. Kelly Boone )

A heart attack Monday claimed the life of Akron native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rodney A. Jarvis who was on his third tour in Iraq, his family said.

''He is a casualty of war,'' his sister, Robin Bacola of Munroe Falls said Wednesday. ''He gave his life just as if he were hit by a bullet.''

Jarvis was scheduled to come home to his wife and two daughters in Louisiana in September.

The 34-year-old had last seen his family in March, when he was home on leave from Iraq.

His wife, Fashion Jarvis, was notified Monday that her husband had died of a heart attack.

''He was one of a kind,'' Fashion Jarvis said.

Her husband had been in good health and left on his latest tour in Iraq on June 1, 2008.

Calling hours for the career soldier will be Monday at the Smith Funeral Home in Newton, Texas, his wife's hometown. His funeral will be Tuesday at First Baptist Church on Main Street in Newton.

The chief warrant officer will be buried in the Hughes Cemetery in Bon Wier, Texas.

Rodney Jarvis joined the Army after graduating from Ellet High School in 1993. He met his wife the next year, and the couple were married in 1995.

''He loved serving his country,'' his wife said.

The couple had two daughters, Heather, 14; and Kourtnie, 13.

The soldier's mother, Betty Jarvis, formerly of Akron, lives with her daughter-in-law and granddaughters in Merryville, Louisiana, Fashion Jarvis said.

He is survived by five brothers, Russ, Randy, Rick and Tommy, all of the Akron area, and Ron Jarvis, of Reno, Nev., and one sister, Robin Bacola.

The soldier had previously served in Haiti and in Germany.

''He took care of paperwork to make sure they [his unit] had equipment,'' his wife said.

After 16 years in the Army, Jarvis had plans to retire in four years.

The couple bought a building in Newton, Texas, a town on the state's eastern edge, near the Louisiana border, and started a small business there. They later converted it into a convenience store called Fashion's Country Store, about a year ago.

The couple met through friends.

''I was going to see a friend of mine and he was there and that is when we met and we never parted,'' she said.

Jarvis was assigned to the 46th Engineer Battalion, 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based at Fort Polk, La.

According to an article on the Web site http://www.dvidshub.net, a service operated by Third Army/U.S. Army Central on behalf of the Department of the Army, Jarvis was overseeing the battalion's redeployment back to the U.S. as the property book officer.

''Everything I know about supply I've learned from Chief,'' Capt. Kelly Boone, logistics officer in charge and a close friend to Jarvis, said in the online article.

''He had a way of quoting things form the 'Book of Chief' and sometimes he would just make stuff up,'' Boone said in the article. ''He was hilarious.''

Fashion Jarvis said her husband was a ''wonderful man'' and ''everyone he met just loved him. He loved everybody and everybody loved him.''

Her husband, she said, ''gave 120 percent every time.''

His sister said the family is ''blown away'' by the news of his death, but she said their father, Robert Jarvis, an Army veteran, died of a heart attack at the age of 55.

''I'm struggling with it,'' Bacola said.

Because of his many deployments overseas, his sister said, her brother sacrificed much by being away from his family for long periods of time.

''He gave a lot for this country,'' she said.

The Army, his sister said, ''let him be a very good provider for his family.''


Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.



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OhioNewsHound

Posted 07:50 PM, 07/15/2009

Go with God, Chief.


jamier8989@yahoo.com
columbus, oh

Posted 08:13 PM, 07/15/2009

thank u for servicing our country you are still a Hero in my eyes and heart.


Scout
New Philadelphia, OH

Posted 08:53 PM, 07/15/2009

Rest in Peace.....Chief Your duty is done


Donald Rogers
Tallmadge, OH

Posted 09:47 AM, 07/16/2009

To everyone who's lost someone they love long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough when you said goodbye.
Prayers for peace and comfort for his family. God Bless Rodney for his service to our country!


Hmmm

Posted 10:33 AM, 07/16/2009

We will miss you Rodney. Thank you for your service. You are a hero. Ange Brooks c/o 92


HShenkle74
akron, oh

Posted 03:22 PM, 07/16/2009

It didn't hit me until today that it was the same Rodney that I went to high school with and walked the halls with to class. Such a sweetheart and always made me smile, even when I was down.
He will be truely missed. THANK YOU for serving our country!!! I don't doubt for a second that he was a loving husband and father by what I had read in the article. God bless your family and friends.


Mary

Posted 04:11 PM, 07/16/2009

Sympathy and prayers to this American hero's family. Thank you for his service to our country.


deidre

Posted 04:29 PM, 07/16/2009

This should be on the front page -
God Bless his family and friends - there is one more angel in Heaven.


Terri

Posted 11:46 PM, 07/17/2009

Sympathy and prayers go out to the jarvis family I am an old neighbor of Rodneys who grew up with him lived next door to him on Ackley St I have thought of him over the years just wondering where he is how he is doing I remember years ago right after he joined the service i seen rodney I have not seen him since god bless you all dealing with the loss of such a great hero you will be truly missed lots of tears from the Fisher family














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