Osbey Roddey, Rock Hill city councilman and African American civic leader, dies at 87
Precious “Osbey” Roddey, who served almost a quarter century on Rock Hill City Council and was a legendary civic and spiritual leader in the African American community in York County, has died.
Roddey was 87.
A pastor who served Langrum Branch Baptist Church in York for decades, Roddey died Dec. 23 at hospice, according to family and an obituary from Robinson Funeral Home.
Roddey was first elected to the Rock Hill City Council Ward 5 in a tight race in 1989. He was reelected without serious opposition several times until deciding to leave the seat in 2013 at age 77.
For many years, he was one of two Black members on the six-member council in a city that had a population that was around 40% African American.
Nikita Jackson, currently chair of the York County Democratic Party and the first Black woman to hold the post, was the Ward 5 council seat holder from 2017 through 2022. Jackson said Roddey was a dedicated man who served impressively for 24 years, and Rock Hill mourns one of its champions.
“His legacy of community service and leadership undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the residents he served,” Jackson said. “It was an honor to have followed in those footsteps — and those were some big shoes to fill.”
York County Council member and former Rock Hill mayoral candidate William “Bump” Roddey, Osbey Roddey’s great-nephew, said his great-uncle worked diligently for residents through his work on council and through his ministry. Osbey Roddey was a political and religious mentor who was dedicated to a better Rock Hill for all people, Bump Roddey said.
“I can’t imagine where we would be as a community had he not given his life to serving and leading people to Christ,” Bump Roddey said.
As the city grew rapidly in the 1990s and 2000s, adding tens of thousands of residents during his tenure, Roddey was instrumental in securing city services for many areas of the city. He pushed to revitalize closed textile mills to serve all city residents.
Roddey was a force behind the push to turn the former Celanese textile plant property on North Cherry Road into a commercial and residential hub. He also pushed for renovation of the former Arcade mill site near downtown Rock Hill and for new uses at the city’s “Textile Corridor” near downtown.
Former Mayor Doug Echols, a political ally of Roddey who served alongside him for more than 20 years, said Roddey was among the finest men he ever knew. Roddey was a low-key but powerful force in community affairs whose life and courage touched all people of all backgrounds, Echols said.
“I always appreciated his quiet and strong leadership,” Echols said. “He was a mentor and dear friend. His community service set a wonderful example for a life well-lived.”
A celebration of life service for Roddey is Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Langrum Branch Baptist Church in York.
