Roderick "Rod" William Huisman

Roderick “Rod” William Huisman passed away on Thursday, August 20, 2020, at the age of 61 in Great Falls, MT.A memorial service for Rod will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Vincent’s Catholic Church in Mott, ND. Burial will follow at Sunny Slope Cemetery, followed by a reception at the American Legion Park in Mott. Rod was born on April 30, 1959, in Richardton, ND to Walter and Mary Huisman.He attended St. Vincent’s Catholic School in Mott where he enjoyed playing basketball with his brother, Kenny, and his other classmates.He was also a member of FFA. Rod attended Mott Lincoln High where he graduated with honors in 1977 and played football for the Mott Lincoln Cardinals. Rod received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, where he majored in Social Work and minored in English. He worked on the family farm with his father, Walt, as a young boy. While in college, he drove truck delivering beer, worked as an orderly, and worked for a time at Home on the Range. Thereafter, he worked for the State of Montana for 27 years, until 2011. He dedicated himself to keeping children safe, first as a social worker, social worker supervisor, and then as Regional Administrator out of Great Falls. Rod was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Parish in Great Falls, where he worshiped and volunteered in the kitchen for a time. He also enjoyed picking up and dropping off fellow parishioners with his job as bus driver for Holy Spirit. His nephew, Kalen, was his navigator and helper, making confirmation phone calls on their route. Rod was blessed to be a part of a close-knit family and community while growing up on his family farm just a few miles outside of Mott. Rod enjoyed helping his father on the farm, working outside alongside his brother, Kenny, and three-wheeling when he could.He had a lot of fun times playing with cousins in Mott, enjoyed visiting aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Rod spent more than a few nights feeding bum lambs with his siblings on the farm. He was a short-wave radio enthusiast, and trapped beaver on the Cannon Ball River as a young teenager. He also enjoyed hunting antelope, deer, and elk with friends. He loved riding the family horses, Trigger and Gypsy, with Jan, Barb, and Kenny, with whom he was very close.Rod loved creating stained glass windows and lamps, which he often gifted to special people in his life. He was 22 when he got his pilot’s license and had logged over 600 hours in the air. Rod was a wonderful, involved father who loved to play and watch sports with his children. He loved watching and taking pictures of Travis playing baseball and football, loved watching Courtney playing soccer or soft ball over the years, and was happy to have Laura there as his tree faller in the backyard, and cheered Laura on with all her Morp projects. Rod spent many years with his daughter, Katie, traveling with the Red Hots (basketball) and following Katie playing for the Selects, in school and college softball. Rod was a fun loving, humorously quick-witted, giving friend to those who knew him best - Fred, Russ, Colleen, Roger, Doug, and so many more. Rod is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sandy Huisman; children, Travis Huisman of Portland, OR, Jackie (Ernie) Garrison of Boise, ID, Laura (Dan) Lee of Bozeman, MT, Courtney Francetich of Great Falls, MT, and Katie Huisman, of Great Falls, MT;grandchildren, Nolan and Mabel Garrison; brother, Kenny (Denise) Huisman; sister, Jan Huisman; nephews, Kalen Gentry and Dylan Huisman; nieces, Kallie (Jordan) DeCock, and Jessie (Adrian) Grey; great-nieces, Avery, Kaysa, and Kenlee; great-nephew, Easton; and special friends Carol, Ernie, and Merf. Rod was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Mary Huisman; and his sister, Barbara Gentry. Rod was loved and appreciated by so many for his generous heart and will forever be loved and missed.