Rodney Reed Kavalier, 70, died peacefully at home from pancreatic cancer on Thursday, February 5, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born in Waterloo on June 23, 1955, the son of Richard "Dick" Kavalier Sr. and Mary Ann Helm Kavalier. Rodney graduated from Dysart-Geneseo High School in 1973, On June 30, 1978, he married Mary Jo Higgins in Dysart. To this union, the couple was blessed with three wonderful children and two grandchildren.After high school graduation Rodney became the third generation to run the family repair/implement business in Dysart. He worked as a mechanic, salesperson and ultimately the owner operator of Kavalier Implement. Prior to the sale of Kavalier Implement Rodney chose to become a NAPA parts dealer. His working knowledge of engines and parts was a wonderful match to this additional service line. When it was time for Dick to retire and Mary Jo's dad to slow down, the implement business was sold and Rodney became a farmer with his father-in-law, Bob Higgins. His knowledge of equipment and Bob's knowledge of farming practices made for a good working partnership. Rodney was actively farming at the time of his passing.
Rodney was a quick-witted man who was a gifted storyteller and loved spending time with family and friends. If there was a gathering there was always a time when Rodney would tell a story and laughter would ensue. He loved to tease and tell a good joke but never at the expense of another person's feelings. Because of these qualities he was asked to MC class reunions and was the author of the annual Christmas letter.
He was a faithful man who served his community in many capacities. He became interested in the Masons when Mary Jo's grandfather became a widower, and he saw how his fellow lodge brothers looked after him during that difficult time. He was very active in the Dysart Masonic Ascalon Lodge 393 and there he found great fellowship, and lifelong friends. He was also active in the Dysart community by volunteering for the Dysart Fire Department and Ambulance service. He took EMT classes with his wife and assisted with the development of more EMT's as instructors for Hawkeye Tech, and taught classes in Dysart.
Rodney was active in the Dysart United Methodist Church serving on and chairing many different committees. He was also very active in the church youth group. Since Rodney had been a Boy Scout, when his sons grew up he served as the Cub Scout Master for Troop 324 in Dysart. He has also served as the president of the Buckingham Co-op for several years, and took pride in involving younger farmers to gain their perspective on business decisions for the co-op.
Rodney never met a stranger! He was an outgoing man who loved cars, especially Corvettes, and loved to travel. He was able to go to Tokyo, Japan as part of the Boy Scout World Jamboree in 1971 and was a foreign exchange student to Boliden, Sweden in 1972. He introduced Mary Jo to world travel, and they had several wonderful international trips to visit Mary Jo's sister Holly.
Rodney was an incredible husband and father who loved his wife and children deeply and believed relationships were important. He was consistently kind, caring, and patient. He could fix anything and truly loved repairing and making mechanical things work well. His patience was evident when he taught his children how to complete tasks such as doing an oil change and "orienting" his wife on how to run the combine after she retired from her nursing career. Rodney always enjoyed time with family and friends and would make those events a priority. If a family member or friend needed something he was quick to help.
If you knew Rodney even slightly, you knew he was a staunch Iowa State Cyclone fan. He became even more devout when all three of his children were ISU graduates.
Rodney is survived by the love of his life, Mary Jo Kavalier; children Michael (Kelly) Kavalier and their son Ames, of Stillwater, OK, Dr. Ryan Kavalier of Columbia, MO, and Kristin (Miles) Nieder and their daughter Madeline JoAnn, of Butler, MO; siblings Randall (Deb) Kavalier of Altoona, IA and Roxanne (John) Topliff of Waterloo; sister-in-law Donna Kavalier of Dysart; his Swedish brother and sister Barry and Eva Hőgstrőm and many other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Richard Kavalier Jr.
Funeral services for Rodney will be Monday, February 16, 2026, at 10:30 AM, at Dysart United Methodist Church, 602 Tilford St, Dysart, with burial to follow at the Dysart Cemetery. The family will greet friends during a time of visitation on Sunday, February 15, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM, and all are welcome to attend a Masonic Service starting at 6:00 PM at Locke at Tower Park, 4140 Kimball Ave, Waterloo. Memorial contributions should be directed to the family. Online condolences may be expressed at www.lockefuneralservices.com.
