Raul P. Rodriguez

He was born in La Feria, Texas on June 6, 1950 to the late Alfonso and Maria Louisa Rodriguez.

Raul met Maria Alicia "Alice" Jonguitud in 1966, at a dance. He asked her to dance and they have been together ever since. Raul and Alice got married February 20, 1970. Raul, Alice, and their family celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary last February.

He is survived by his loving wife Alice, three sons Raul Jr / Angelina, Carlos/ Aurora, Michael/ Sandra, seven grandchildren, Alexander, George, Ricardo, Julian, Malina, Sophia & Antonio, seven siblings Lilly Tovar, Carmen Reyes, Biolanda Castro, Irma Rojas, Salvador Rodriguez, Alfonso Rodriguez & Jelacio Rodriguez, his niece Dorie Enriquez, whom he thought of as a sister and many other nieces & nephews.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brother Ruben.

He was gifted baker and worked for Smitty's and Fry's for 34 years, before his retirement August 2009, he took pride in his work and the product.

Raul enjoyed life he was always making sure everyone was all right and giving advice, he would always make everyone laugh with his ideas & jokes; he had a real warm heart, but was also very stern in his ways.

Raul enjoyed being a dad to his three boys, even though he worked nights he always made sure to go to their little league baseball games, he learned to enjoy football and all sports with his sons. He enjoyed the outdoors he would take the family camping and fishing, tried to teach the boys how to hook the worm. It seemed he did not do much fishing as he was always busy hooking the worm or untangling the line, but he loved it.

After retirement Raul, enjoyed being outside working on his yard planting flowers and chili plants, he took hours making sure everything was just right, if it wasn't he would redo his project until he was satisfied that his work was perfect. Raul loved to be in the kitchen, he was an expert in making the best salsa and giving to everyone, he made tortillas he cooked. One of his sisters would come and have breakfast with him, and she told him “you make the best breakfast” and he would beam from ear to ear.

Raul was a proud Tata to his seven grandchildren he was always talking about them and what they did. He continue to go their baseball, football and soccer games. This football season, on Sundays, he would ask them to come see football with him and he would make sure he had the correct snacks each of them liked.

When his granddaughter Malina was born, he was so happy and proud to finally get a little girl in the family. She became his baby girl and Princess and he attended all of her dance recitals enjoying them, as he would dance himself sitting in his chair.

When a second granddaughter Sophia was born, he was so happy that he made the mistake of saying Sophia is my baby girl. Malina heard him and started to cry and said “Tata, Tata you said I was always going to be your baby girl”, he replied, “yes you will always be my baby girl and Sophia is my second baby girl and I love you both with all my heart.”

With little Antonio, who is just a baby, he would carry him, play with him and tell him Burger King Burger King, his sons would say “no dad it is Bird Gang not Burger King”.

Raul left his legacy on all that had the honor to have met him, he always said what was on his mind, he would tell Alice “you need to speak with the truth to let them know who is the boss and so they can respect you.”

Family and friends are invited to a viewing on Thursday, February 4, 2021 from 5-8PM at West Resthaven Funeral Home, 6450 W. Northern Avenue, Glendale. A Mass of Christian of Burial will be celebrated on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 10AM at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 8615 W. Peoria Avenue, Peoria. Burial will follow in Resthaven Park Cemetery.