Rodney Bateman,

Rodney Swain Bateman Jr. May 7, 1930 - September 3, 2009 Manassas, VA: Mr. Rodney Swain Bateman Jr., 79, passed away Thursday evening, September 3, 2009, at his home, Manassas, Virginia, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Mr. Bateman was born in the small town of Columbia in Tyrrell County N.C. on May 7, 1930 to Rodney Swain Bateman Sr. and Evora Matilda Parisher Bateman. He was known to his boyhood Carolina friends as "R.S.", and to his Virginia friends as "Rod", but to his large family he had the honored title of "Big Daddy". As a youth Rod was a good student, graduating from Columbia High School in 1948 as valedictorian and president of his class. He played basketball and football, and played on Columbia's undefeated football team of 1946. In addition to school activities, there were chores at his grandfather Jim Henry Bateman's farm. He also helped his dad with dairy farming. Rod began studies at N.C. State University until the Korean War came calling. He enlisted in the Air Force as an airborne radar mechanic and was stationed in California and Guam. After discharge from service, Rod worked at Radio Supply Company on Granby Street in Norfolk, Virginia where he met his future bride Barbara. Rod and Barbara were married at the Talbot Park Baptist Church in Norfolk (1956), and Rod worked for the Virginian Railway Company in Norfolk. They moved to Greenville, N.C. in 1958 so that Rod could resume college studies at East Carolina University. They lived in an upstairs apartment at the veterinary hospital of Rod's uncle, Dr. Joe Bateman. Rod earned a B.A. in Accounting in 1960. He accepted a job with the Federal Government in Norfolk as an auditor with the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). In 1964, the family moved to Northern Virginia as Rod advanced to Supervisory Auditor at U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Washington, D.C. Rod and Barbara settled in Manassas, VA in 1968. Rod retired from the Federal Government in 1984 and worked for Electronic Data Systems and Arlington County Government before retiring permanently in 1991. Over the years, Rod has enjoyed hunting, fishing and working on cars. Rod was preceded in death by his parents Rodney and Evora Bateman, and by his brother-in-law Giovanni B. Giglioni. He leaves behind his wife of 53 years, Barbara Annette Butler Marquess Bateman; 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild: son Mark D. Bateman, his wife Paula and their two daughters Chelsea and Callie of Ledyard, CT; son Dean M. Bateman and his daughter Brandess Spence and his granddaughter Briley Spence of Starkville, MS; son Ty T. Bateman, his wife Karen and their son Jack of Great Falls, VA; and daughter Candace W. Zimmerman, her husband Joseph, and their children Samantha Whitacre, Zeke, Zoe, and Emily Zimmerman of Bluemont, VA. He also leaves his sister Joyce Bateman Giglioni of Starkville MS and Columbia NC; 2 sisters-in-law Suzanne Marquess of Ipswich, Suffolk England, and Brenda Butler King of Mechanicsville VA; a father-in-law Arthur Clyne Marquess Jr. of Virginia Beach VA, and 2 aunts Laura Bateman Lawrence of Winston-Salem NC and Reva Parisher Umphlett of Creswell NC. The family will receive friends at the Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center St. in Manassas VA. from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 6, 2009 where services will start at 3:00 p.m. with Pastor Dennis Griffin officiating. Burial will be in Columbia NC on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice, or the American Parkinson Disease Association. Condolences may be sent to www.piercefh.com.