Rod Fleischman

The Life of Rodney Michael Fleischman

 

Rod was born on December 1, 1944, in New London, Connecticut, to Hollis and Marie Fleischman. A few years later, his family relocated to Portland, Oregon, and then to Camas, Washington, where he was raised alongside his younger siblings, Sue, Mary, and David. As the eldest, Rod was often counted on to be the responsible one, helping care for his siblings. Those early responsibilities helped shape his strong sense of duty and the exceptionally high standards he held for himself throughout his life. His family spent many summers on the Columbia River, where Rod developed a love for boating and water skiing. 

 

He excelled in youth sports and graduated with honors from Camas High School in 1962 as a proud Papermaker athlete. His curiosity about science emerged early, and during college summers he worked as a researcher at the Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill, laying the foundation for a remarkable career.

 

Rod began his college education at Clark College before transferring to the University of Washington, where he earned bachelor's degrees in Physics and Mathematics in 1967. During the Vietnam War, his education and scientific expertise were recognized as vital to the nation's defense. Rather than military service, he was selected for the Science & Engineering Research Apprenticeship Program and joined Battelle's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, where he contributed to nuclear physics and engineering research supporting national defense. 

 

Over the next four decades, Rod built an extraordinary career as a scientist, engineer, executive, and leader. He spent more than twenty years advancing nuclear energy systems and technology at Argonne National Laboratory and Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory before transitioning into executive leadership. His career later took him to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and ultimately to Bechtel, where he first served as manager of Global Human Resources and then Talent Development. He retired in 2013, finally giving himself permission to pursue a lifelong dream—to buy a motorcycle and get on the road. 

 

Rod embraced life with endless curiosity. Living in the Pacific Northwest fueled his love of the Columbia River and the Cascade Mountains, where he enjoyed boating, watersports, snow skiing, and golf. Never one to stop learning, he earned his pilot's license and flew his own airplane.

 

He loved traveling, solving crossword puzzles and Sudoku, reading, enjoying great meals, engaging in thoughtful conversations, and spending time outdoors. Retirement introduced him to perhaps his greatest adventure: motorcycling. He became a coach for First Tee, helping young people build character and confidence through golf. Rod spent time at his home in Alameda, CA tinkering with one of his beloved Harleys, engineering clever upgrades, and heading out on the open road. He rode with Harley groups in the Bay Area (Oakland, CA Chapter) and Bend (Central Oregon Chapter), making lifelong friends and unforgettable memories on trips to Sturgis, the Four Corners, the Baja California Peninsula and more.

 

The story of Rod's life cannot be told without recognizing the women who shared it. Susan Blue and Terry Braniecki each played an important role in building the family he loved. In the final two decades of his life, Rod shared a loving partnership with Claudia Arguello. Together they embraced retirement through hiking, motorcycle adventures, and travel, creating cherished memories in his final years.

 

Family remained one of the defining threads throughout Rod's life. He was the proud father of four children: John Hollis, Danielle Marie, Ashleigh Christine, and Nicholas Joseph. One of his greatest joys was becoming "Papa" to his beloved grandchildren, Colton Jack, Camden Lee, Makenna Marie, and Ryder James. His children remember a father who believed every problem had a solution and every question was worth exploring. He challenged them to think for themselves and found joy in sharing what he knew. 

 

Rod possessed a rare combination of intelligence, curiosity, and resourcefulness. He delighted in solving problems large and small—from wiring the electrical system in his Richland home to fashioning a throttle from a shoelace on the side of a desert highway near Todos Santos. Whether repairing, building, or improvising, he approached every challenge with creativity and determination, leaving his children with an enduring appreciation for curiosity, perseverance, and the satisfaction of figuring things out. 

 

Although Rod achieved remarkable professional success, what he sought most throughout his life was meaningful connection with the people he loved. His analytical mind, one of his greatest strengths, could also make relationships more challenging. Yet those fortunate enough to know him well understood the tenderness beneath his strong exterior.

 

Rod held himself to impossibly high standards and sometimes struggled to extend himself the same grace he readily offered others. Though communication and consistency did not always come easily, his love for family and friends was steadfast. When someone needed thoughtful advice, practical wisdom, or a steady hand in difficult times, Rod was often the person they called.

 

In one of the many beautiful poems she wrote, Rod's late sister, Suzanne, perhaps described him best:

 

"I love my brother Rod because he's fierce but loyal, always wanting to be the perfect everything and forever caught up in being the responsible eldest. But beneath all that blustery boldness is a heart that is loving and soft as angel hair."

 

Rod died peacefully from complications of advanced dementia during the twilight hours of Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2025, surrounded by those who loved him in Frederick, Maryland.

 

He leaves behind a legacy of curiosity, resilience, adventure, loyalty, and a family forever shaped by his love, wisdom, and example. His life reminded us that our flaws do not diminish our worth; they are part of what makes us human, and when met with honesty and grace, they can become our greatest teachers. 

 

 

Rod is survived by his wife Claudia Arguello, two daughters Danielle Slezak and Ashleigh Ragsdale, son Nicholas Hietter, and four grandchildren, Colton, Camden, Makenna and Ryder. He is also survived by one sister, Mary Fleischman, his brother David Fleischman, his two stepdaughters Gabriela Barnette and Jacquelin Arguello, and his faithful dog Hunter. Rod is preceded in death by his son John Fleischman, sister Suzanne Swingle, and parents, Hollis and Marie Fleischman.