Santiago Luis Rodriguez

Santiago L. Rodriguez, 65, husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, and educator, passed away Sunday, March 2, 2014.He was employed by El Paso Community College for more than 37 years. He was initially hired as a reading instructor in 1975 and held several positions during his tenure at EPCC, among them Director of the Amnesty Program, Director for the Off-Campus Programs, Director of the Weekend College, Assistant to the President, Associate Provost, and Dean of the Mission del Paso Campus for 13 years. He was actively involved in the community and with public education. He taught at Fannin and Houston Elementary Schools. He served on the Ysleta ISD Board for three years, and was a former Chairman of the Board of Directors for Region 19 Education Service Center, where he served since 1991. He was a Democratic Precinct Chair and a former member of the Southwestern Regional Council of the College Board, Vice President Southern Region National Caucus of Hispanic School Board Members, Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, and Leadership El Paso. In 2010 he was honored with the naming of the Santiago Rodriguez Head Start & Early Head Start Center in northwest El Paso. He attended Austin High School and graduated from Sunnyside High School in Tucson, AZ after which he attended the University of Arizona, and the University of Texas at El Paso where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1970 and a Masters of Education in 1973. A lifelong sports fan, he especially enjoyed rooting for the UTEP Miners and San Francisco 49ers. He was proud of having watched every Super Bowl, missing only one kickoff ever, a fact that would lead him to playfully tease his son every year for causing him to miss it. He was married to his beloved wife of 42 years, Carmen, and leaves behind daughter Cristina and granddaughter Danielle, and sons Cesar (wife Susan) and Alejandro (fiancé Emma). He is also survived by his mother: Hortensia; sisters: Carmen, Haydee, Marina; brother: Jorge and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by father Santiago and brother Rolando. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 9:00 pm on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at Hillcrest Funeral Home-Carolina with a Vigil Service at 7:00 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 am Friday, March 7, 2014 at St. Raphael Catholic Church. Rite of Committal will follow at Evergreen East Cemetery. Services under the direction of HILLCREST FUNERAL HOME 1060 Carolina 598-3332