Born in Anderson County, he was the son of Betty Jean Brock Boland and the late Lewis Coleman “Buddy” Gilmer. He was a member of NewSpring Church of Anderson and worked in the Emergency Department at AnMed Health Medical Center. Rodney was a dedicated Critical Care Paramedic and had served all over the upstate of South Carolina to include Greenwood, Anderson, Greenville, Laurens, Oconee, Honea Path, Belton and Iva. He also had proudly served as a Flight Paramedic with MedTrans in Greenville and Lifeflight in Anderson. Rodney had also served as the Island Paramedic on the Johnston Atoll. He was currently enrolled at Piedmont Technical College in pursuit of a Registered Nurse Degree. Apart from his life as a pre-hospital care provider, his main joy in life were his ‘Baby Girl”, as he called both his beloved daughters, Emily Shay and Mollie-Kate. He loved traveling with them, singing along to ‘80’s music and bringing the helicopter to any of their school programs. Rodney was actively involved in Toys For Tots with Harley-Davidson.
Surviving in addition to his mother of Honea Path are: his two daughters, Emily Shay Gilmer and Mollie-Kate Gilmer, both of Anderson; his beloved sister, Joyce Gilmer of Honea Path; a step-brother, Tim (Debra) Boland of Columbia; a step-sister, Janie Lindley of Greenwood, and two special nephews, Jamie (Kacie) Tyner of Pelzer and Dylan Waters of Honea Path.
Rodney is preceded in death by his father and his step-father, Ray Boland.
Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon, Saturday February 23, 2019 at Honea Path First Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Moody and Rev. Paul Cooper officiating. Burial will follow in Eastview Cemetery.
The family is at the home of his mother, 28 Cody Drive, Honea Path, and will receive friends 4-8 P.M. Friday evening at Pruitt Funeral Home, Honea Path. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial donations be made to The Gilmer Girls Education Fund, c/o State Credit Union, 1825 E. Greenville St., Anderson, SC 29621 or the St Judes Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.ParkerWhitePruitt.com