A much-loved local community member Roderick “Rod” Powell Brand (87) of Cheyenne, Wyoming passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Davis Hospice Center. Rod’s passing after an extended illness was peaceful surrounded by his family and his beloved model trains. He was born November 19, 1938, in San Antonio, Texas, the second son of the late Max Sr. and S. Elizabeth Brand. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1961, Rod began his career in the U.S. Air Force where he retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1981 after 20 years of service. He served three of those years stationed in West Germany at a NATO base. It was there he discovered his lifelong love of photography. Later in his life, Rod earned two degrees at the University of Wyoming and taught business classes at LCCC for two years. He had a second career working at Radio Shack until again retiring. Rod said when he got the job, being an avid electronics hobbyist, “he was like a kid working in a candy store.”

Rod is remembered for his cheery community service including donating gallons of his blood to help save others, membership with the Cheyenne Kiwanis Club, and leading Webelos in Boy Scouts while his two sons were members, encouraging them to become Eagle Scouts. The joy of Scouting was passed down through the family with more than one CFD pancake breakfast that found Kiwanian Rod manning the big grill and tossing pancakes to his Scout grandson Steve.

Rod loved memorializing his extended family and friends’ lives through a camera, building and running elaborate model trains, taking trips with Majorie on historic trains, building various electronic gadgets, traveling in a camping trailer, and exploring the open road with family. He and Marjorie could be seen at local theater and symphony performances year after year. Rod enjoyed his crosswords and sudoku puzzles, being a competitive player of the Settlers of Catan, and staying up late on vacation playing Mexican Train Dominos with his family, who kept the last game going in his hospice room until the very end. Rod was a member and the accountant of the Base Chapel for decades before joining Cheyenne First United Methodist Church.

Rod was a loving husband, father, uncle, grandfather, and great grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie, daughter Kathleen “Kathy” Hale (Jeff Hale), Scappoose, OR, son Raymond “Ray” Brand (Lori Brand), Cheyenne, WY, son Richard “Rich” Brand (Kim Brand), Independence, MO, grandson, Steve Brand, Cheyenne, WY, granddaughter, Megan Mullen (Matt Mullen) 1 child, Bend, OR, grandson, Christopher “Chris” Hale (Taylor Hale) 1 child, Bend, OR, step-granddaughter Victoria McCourt (Derek McCourt) 2 children, Blue Springs, MO, step-granddaughter Erica Radley (Trevor Radley) 2 children, Sibley, MO, step-grandson Johnathan Garcia, 5 children, Independence, MO.

Services will be held at Cheyenne First United Methodist Church located at 108 E. 18th St. Cheyenne WY 82001 on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 10 a.m. Reception to follow.