Rachel Rodriguez

Rachel Rodriguez, 75, passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 in Abilene. Funeral Services will be 1:30p.m., Saturday, December 14, 2013, in the Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Faith, 5701 Highway 277 South, with burial following in the Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories Cemetery. The family will receive friends at a visitation from 11:00a.m. to 1:00p.m prior to the services on Saturday at the funeral home.

Rachel was born on February 3, 1938 in Maxwell, Texas. She moved to Abilene in 1950, where she married Ignacio Rodriguez on January 4, 1954.

Rachel worked for Gibson’s Discount Center for 5 years. For 27 years she created and prepared unique dishes for Mack Eplen's Cafeteria. Rachel volunteered for the Locust Community Center for 16 years. She helped to open the Locust Elementary School Library and was very active in the PTA at Locust and Travis Elementary Schools for all of her children.

Rachel had a deep felt commitment to family, friends, and community. She loved and gave to all children as her own. We greatly miss her.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Manuel and Juana Lopez Collazo; three brothers, Manuel Collazo, Jr., and Juan and Daniel Collazo; and a sister, Lily Collazo.

Survivors include her husband, Ignacio Rodriguez of Abilene; her sons, Ignacio Rodriguez, Jr. of San Francisco, CA, Rudy Rodriguez of Round Rock, TX, David Rodriguez of Abilene, Alfredo Rodriguez of Abilene, and Gabriel Rodriguez and wife, Karen of Albany, CA; daughters, Angelina Corbett and husband, Patrick of Stillwater, MN, Gloria Allen and husband, Robin of Longmont, CO, Yolanda Winders and husband, Lance of Texarkana, TX; grandchildren, Donovan and Marquell Corbett, Nigel and Julia Connally, Mitchell, Vanessa, and Samantha Winders; and great-grandchildren, Noah and Hazel Corbett; brothers, David and Isaiah Collazo; sisters, Lupe Collazo of Abilene, Margie Stokes of Abilene, and Janie Collazo of Glendale, AZ, and numerous nieces & nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Hendrick Home For Children, P.O. Box 5195, Abilene, TX 79608.