Rodney “Rod” L. Tobler, age 72, of Sidney, NE passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday, September 15, 2024, after a lengthy battle with liver disease.

Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at the Gehrig-Stitt Event Center in Sidney, NE with Pastor Sean Amen officiating. Services will be livestreamed on the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel Facebook page and recorded for later viewing on our website. Cremation has taken place. Inurnment will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation and to spend some time outside this fall to honor Rod and his love for the outdoors.

Friends may stop at the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel on Friday, September 27th from 1:00-6:00 P.M. with the family present from 4:00-6:00 P.M. to leave condolences for the family.  You may view Rod’s Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at www.gehrigstittchapel.com. 

Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Rod’s care and funeral arrangements.

Rod was born on December 20, 1951 to Loring and Ruth (Johnson) Tobler in Sidney.  Rod graduated from Sidney High School in 1970.  After high school he started as a harvest hand on the Ahlms farm for three years and his father’s farm for about a year.   He then worked in the oil fields on Rig Three for 15 years starting with Gear Drilling and ended with Exeter Drilling.  After that he worked for Crossroads Grain Elevator until he retired in 2018.

In 1973 Rod met Carole Smith at Dudes during a live music night.  They were married June 30, 1973 and enjoyed 51 happy years together.  Rod and Carole went on to have two boys, Scott and Kevin. Rod enjoyed fishing, hunting, watching monster movies, westerns, and war movies.  He and Carole liked traveling around the United States and playing pitch. He had a special interest in the Civil War and loved to see old battlefields. He loved to tinker in his garage and yard and to BS with his friends and family. 

He is survived by his wife, Carole, sons, Scott and Kevin, daughters-in-law Cora Tobler and Jennie Tobler-Gaston, grandson, Michael Tobler Freitag, granddaughter, Talia Tobler, sister, Sandi Butler and her husband Chuck, brothers Dick Tobler and his wife Carol, Gary Tobler and his wife Rachel, and Kent Tobler and his wife Marcie, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Rod was predeceased in death by his parents, Ruth and Loring Tobler, his beloved black Lab, Shadow.