Rod Ezelle

Memorial services for Rod Ezelle will be held Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 12:00 PM at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home with Rev. Michael Pogue officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM until 11:45 AM prior to the service. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.  

Rod Ezelle was born August 2, 1935, and went to be with Jesus on January 29th, 2026. Rod grew up in the Nellieburg community of Lauderdale County, MS. He lived most of his life in Meridian, MS, before moving to Union in 2024 to be closer to relatives. He was married to his high school sweetheart from Suqualena High School, Virginia Dare Rogers Ezelle, for 70 years.

Rod was known as a talker and a storyteller. He often bragged about his first-grade debut in a school play, where he practiced his single line over and over-an early sign of a gift that would serve him well throughout life. That gift led to a successful career in sales, where he worked a combined total of 52 years with Hasson Wholesale Grocery Company and later Bill Ethridge Lincoln Mercury. Rod believed strongly in work ethic and lived by the principle he often shared with his sons, "Do it well or not at all."

Faith was the foundation of Rod's life. He attended Midway Baptist Church for 83 years, where he was saved and later served faithfully as a deacon and Sunday school teacher for 60 years. He made sure his family was in church and that the Bible was read together in their home. His favorite Bible verse was 2 Chronicles 7:14, and his favorite hymn was "How Great Thou Art."

During his retired years, Rod found joy in simple routines. He could often be found sitting outside, reading his Bible and saying his prayers before listening to gospel music and singing medleys-sometimes with words mixed up or blended from other songs. His family liked to tease him that these weren't the real songs, but Poppa's own versions. He also read the newspaper every day, but only the funny papers and the death section, always making an exception for any column by Rev. Billy Graham.

Rod began playing Mexican Train dominoes with his wife and church friends, and in his later years it became a regular part of family gatherings. It was one of the few sources of daily entertainment he kept up in his later years. He also enjoyed watching television, especially westerns, and classic movies.

Rod and Virginia were blessed with three sons: Ricky Ezelle (Teresa) of Laurel, MS; Joey Ezelle(Susan) of Union, MS, and Ken Ezelle (Stacey) of Vestavia, AL. He was a proud grandfather to six grandchildren-Malorie Ezelle Thornton (Jeromy), Heather King Henderson (Josh), Anna Laurie Ezelle Hamrick (Dustin), Ryan Ezelle, Ashley Ezelle Barahona (Carlos), and Alex Ezelle (Anna Margaret)-and delighted in ten great-grandchildren. He was fondly known as Poppa by all of them.  Rod is also survived by his brother, Jerry Ezelle, and his wife Elizabeth Ann, of Dallas, TX.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Edsel Ezelle and Johnnie Ethridge Ezelle, and his son, Ricky Ezelle.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Gideons International.