Jerod "Big Chief Rody" Lewis, chief of the Black Eagles Third Ward Calliope Tribe, passed away on November 25, 2013, aged 49.

Big Chief Rody became chief of the Black Eagles, one of the oldest Uptown Mardi Gras Indian tribes, in 1981, succeeding his father, Percy "Big Chief Pete" Lewis.

Big Chief Rody was featured on the 1998 album United We Stand, Divided We Fall and was one of the original singers in the Mardi Gras Indian Orchestra.

Visitation will be held at the D.W. Rhodes Chapel, 3933 Washington Avenue in New Orleans, on Friday, December 6, 2013, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m, and on Saturday, December 7, 2013 from 8:00 a.m.

Funeral services will be held at D.W. Rhodes on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:00 a.m, with a procession will follow.

Read Jay Mazza's obituary of Big Chief Rody in the New Orleans Advocate here.