Rodney Eugene Box went to meet his Heavenly Father in his eternal home on Friday, October 21, 2022 at the age of 75 years.  He was born on February 15, 1947 in Oakwood, Texas.

Rodney was a graduate of Oakwood High School.  He married his wife of fifty-seven years, Billie Jo Watts on September 18, 1965 in Oakwood.  Rodney was a man of many trades.  He was self-employed as a carpenter and welder and owned and operated Box Contractors for many years, But the most important job he held, was bringing many people to Jesus.  Rodney answered God's call to do his work here on earth in 1977.  He pastored at several churches across East & Central Texas over the past forty-five years and spent the past twenty-eight years as senior pastor at Franklin Worship Center in Franklin.

Rodney was a builder in the truest sense of the word.  When he built houses, he created homes.  When he built churches, he created fellowship.  When he built friendships, he created family.  There was no one he met that he wouldn't share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with, not because it was his duty, but out of an overflow of the love and grace he himself had been given by the Lord.  In conversation and in his sermons, he would often use his patented sayings, and those who knew him know these all too well:

" If that doesn't stir you up, your spoon's done fell out your bowl."

" What you're going through is not what you're going to."

"Don't play big if little's got you."

And many, more that will live on in the hearts of his loved ones.

Rodney's family knows that he is in the loving embrace of his Heavenly Father, and he is "smiling like a possum eating green persimmons."  He will be dearly missed, but he left a legacy of love, faith, and family that will never be forgotten.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Grace Rogers; sister, Nancy Carolyn; brother, Billy Ted and his biological mother, Vannoy Rogers Sumrall.

Rodney leaves behind his loving wife, Billie Jo Box of Franklin; daughters and Son-in-law, Sara Box Johnson of Franklin and Chera and Scott Yancy of Friendswood; sons and daughters-in-law, Samuel and Leslie Box of Forney and Jeremy and Ashley Box of Conroe; sister, Sue Lee of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; brother, Eli Sumrall of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Grandchildren: Emily, Hallie, Blake, Nicholas, Joe'L, Christopher, Mackenzie, Joshua, Samantha, Rylen and Camden.  He is also survived by 16 great grandchildren and many other extended family, church family and friends.

Services will be held on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 2:00 P.M. at the Franklin Worship Center in Franklin.  A visitation will be held on the evening of Tuesday, October 25, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 P.M. at the Franklin Worship Center.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Franklin Worship Center P.O. Box 675 Franklin, Texas 77856 or to Hospice Brazos Valley 502 W. 26 ^th Street Bryan, Texas 77802.