Juan N. Rodriguez

On the morning of March 13, 2026, Juan N. Rodriguez passed away. For 94 years he built a life in northern Mexico and Texas that included 5 children and 10 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years, Guillermina, and one of his grandchildren.

As a young boy in a family of ten in a small town of northern Mexico, he would help the family by selling tamales door to door and learned the value of hard work through the numerous odd jobs he held growing up. He set his sights on education and dreamed of going to high school and college. He made it through most of middle school, then had to get to work. After spending time in the town’s mining company, he left Mexico and joined the US Army. He served for two years in Korea in the mid-1950s.

After the military, he returned to Mexico and went to barber college. He met the love of his life, Guillermina, in Ciudad Juarez in the 1960s. After they married, he moved the family to the US in the late 60s to provide more opportunities for his children. He worked at Fort Bliss for many years, then transitioned to civilian shops, including his brother’s barber shop on Hondo Pass.

In the late 1990s he and his wife moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where he worked at Walmart for a bit until he started at Roy’s Barber Shop in Azle, TX, where he would work until his retirement in his 70s. He had been a barber for so long, that his arms would gesture in cutting motions even in his sleep. His wife was also in the business as she was a Cosmetologist. Together they would say that it was a sound choice of profession, because regardless of the economy, people would always need haircuts!

Together they encouraged their children to focus on their education to make better lives for themselves. He would sit with his children and help them with their math homework, including a favorite trick for multiplying by 9 using both hands - just one of the many ways he encouraged them to value education.

Providing for his family was a priority. He always made it a point to ensure his family had a roof over their head and food on their table. He set an excellent example of paying the bills immediately, so much so, that once he got a late charge because the check arrived too quickly at the utility company and they charged it to the previous month! A quick phone call cleared that right up, and the example of dealing with issues as they arise was also made.

He enjoyed playing billiards and dominoes and would often gather with his brothers and cousins to enjoy a friendly game. He outlived them all, and in his later years would often ask how they were doing, his memory shaped by the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. He would often think back fondly of his time in El Paso, and dream of the day he could return for a visit. Today, he is now at peace, back in his beloved El Paso-Las Cruces area, with his spirit no longer limited by the illness he faced with quiet resilience. His years of waiting patiently for his wife’s return and worrying about making sure his family is fed have come to an end. He can rest in peace knowing the lessons he shared and the years he dedicated to his family have set them up for success as they each work in their own ways to ensure their bellies are full.

The young boy from Mexico who grew up with a dirt floor leaves behind a legacy of engineers, entrepreneurs, caregivers, and business people. His essence will live on through his children.

All services will be held Monday, April 6, 2026; visitation will be from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm with a funeral service at 10:30 am at Funeraria Del Angel Central, 3839 Montana Ave. El Paso, Texas 79903. The burial will be held at 2:00 pm at the Masonic Cemetery, 760 S. Compress Rd. Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005.