Rodney “Rod” Allen Milner, 66, of Mandan, passed away on September 21, 2026.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM, Thursday, October 8, at Eastgate Funeral Service, 3117 E Century Ave, Bismarck. Burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Bismarck.

Rod was born on April 20, 1960, to William and Mavis (Wrolstad) Milner in Williston, ND. After William passed away and the family home burned down in 1966, Mavis remarried Robert Olson. The family then moved to Sentinel Butte, ND, where Rod attended a rural country school. During the harshest winter conditions, he would ride to school in a toboggan pulled by a horse. The family later moved to Dickinson, where they lived on a farm, before moving to Bismarck in 1974. Rod graduated from Century High School in 1978.

Rod had several careers throughout his life, particularly in the food and service industries. Shortly after high school, he began working at Burger King. Starting at the bottom, Rod worked his way up to become a manager. He later managed Centurion Family Restaurant, which is now known as China Star. Rod also worked for an inventory service, where he traveled to gas stations, grocery stores, and other businesses to conduct inventory so the stores could have an accurate account of what they had on hand. He worked his way up to become the leader of several crews, a position he held for several years. He later worked for Pioneer Construction, where he held various positions over the years and earned his CDL. He eventually went on to manage at Walmart. He went on to work for Sanford, where he cleaned surgical instruments. He was even named Employee of the Month. Surgeons and physicians often requested that Rod clean their operating rooms because he was thorough and took great pride in maintaining a clean, germ-free environment. He also worked at Central Dakota Hospital Laundry, but after undergoing heart surgery, Rod was no longer able to work and retired at the age of 64.

One of the most important roles Rod had in his life was being a lifelong caregiver for his sister, Diane. He loved caring for her and was devoted to making sure she was well taken care of. Following her death, Rod was a regular visitor at her gravesite making sure it was well kept and adorned with flowers and wreaths appropriate for the season.

Rod also loved his cat, Noah. He spoiled Noah with the best toys and treats. He enjoyed going to rummage sales, where he could often find a great deal on something to add to his collection.

Rod had a passion for cooking and was truly a master chef. He had a gift for creating something wonderful out of almost anything. He could take the simplest dishes and turn them into something extraordinary and could always seem to make something out of nothing. He also enjoyed baking and often shared homemade buns and sugar cookies using his mom’s recipes with his friends.

First and foremost, Rod was a man of faith and a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. He attended church weekly with his friends and loved to provide his favorite dishes at church potlucks. He was a generous giver and loved to share his personal possessions, assisting with physical tasks, or his time with his friends. T - I - M - E is just another way to spell L - O - V - E, and he gave that generously!

Rod is survived by his brothers, Dick (Franny) and their children, Derek (Harmony) and his child, Ollie, and Zach; Bob (Jane) and their children, Chris (Angie) and his children, Macen and Jaxen; Kylee (Bryan); Courtney (Josh) and her children, Mac and Gage; Taylor (Samantha); and William “Bill” (Adriana).

He is also survived by Dean and Dale Granrud, who were like brothers to him; as well as many cousins from the Milner and Wrolstad families and numerous friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, William E. Milner; mother, Mavis (Wrolstad) Milner Olson; step-father, Robert W. Olson; and sister, Diane Milner.