Aurora Martinez Rodriguez

Aurora Martinez Rodriguez was born in Brownsville, Texas on April 29, 1929. She grew up in Brownsville and graduated from high school there. After high school, she attended junior college and completed a program in Business.

She worked in retail and later married her husband Rodrigo F. Rodriguez in 1954. They were married 56 years. After marrying she moved to California to be with her husband who was studying Electronic Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The following year, they had their first child, Roberto. After graduation in 1957, they moved to New Jersey where they had their second child Beatriz. They later moved back to California and had their third child Ricardo in 1959.

She and her husband raised their family in Canoga Park, California where they lived for 32 years. During that time she was very busy and involved in many activities in the community and the church. She was altar chairman for 8 years for Our Lady of the Valley Church in Canoga Park. She was famous for her Tex-Mex Mexican cooking, especially on Christmas Eve when she with her husband hosted an open house for friends, neighbors, and many of the clergy. Her legendary Christmas Eve parties are still spoken about to this day.

When her family was older, she set out in the work force and worked for Pacific Telephone for 10 years as a computer operator. She then retired from that job to help raise her granddaughter, Aurora her namesake. While raising her granddaughter, she commuted back and forth from Berkeley, California. She worked as a volunteer at the schools her granddaughter attended, and once again, left an impression in Berkeley for her Tex-Mex Mexican food.

After moving back to Canoga Park, she continued her second career, working as a teacher's aide at her granddaughter's elementary school.

She missed her home state of Texas and with her husband moved back there in 1990 where they lived until 2004. Due to failing health, they came back to California to live near their daughter who is a physician and could help with her health issues.

She had quiet a character and a very outgoing personality. At the same time, her faith was very important to her, and she did a lot for the Church community. But, you could not describe her as being a "holy holy", because there was too much South Texas in her and when riled, she could use some pretty descriptive and "colorful" language. It was also her sense of humor that made her enduring to so many people. She was at her best when she was entertaining and the larger the crowd the better. Her energy would bring people together. She never did anything on a small scale. She was definitely one of a kind.

She also had a strong work ethic and no matter what the task, she would literally "whistle while she worked", that's how much she loved to work. She was a fireball of energy. She cooked, she sewed, and she gardened and had a wonderful green thumb and an extensive knowledge of plants and how to care for them. Her husband used to say to her, "I get tired just watching you."

Aurora had such a passion for life. She lived her life fully every day until the day she died. She loved people and had friends of all ages and all kinds. She was one to write letters and kept in touch with friends she had known from childhood, as well as with friends she had made in San Luis Obispo when she and my dad were first married, and old neighbors from Canoga Park and San Antonio. She had memorized the birthdays of at least 100 relatives and friends and always sent them birthday cards. For the kids she would always include $5. She even had a pen-pal, Carolynn who is 9 years old, who she wrote to regularly.

Aurora had many talents, but by far, her greatest gift was her generous nature. She possessed the ability to make friends wherever she went. She connected with people of all ages and backgrounds. Her sincerity touched many people throughout her lifetime, and she left us all with wonderful memories. Her life-loving spirit will be truly missed but never forgotten.

Aurora is preceded in death by her parents, Nicholas Martinez and Lucia Martinez, and her sister Teresa Liendo.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Rodrigo Rodriguez; sons Roberto and Ricardo, daughter Beatriz; granddaughter Aurora, grandsons Daniel and Sean, daughter-in-law Anne; and grandson-in-law Ryan.

ROSARY

SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010

7:00 P.M.

PORTER LORING NORTH CHAPEL

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

MONDAY, MAY 24, 2010

10:00 A.M.

FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

1520 HARRY WURZBACH

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Saint Bonaventure Indian Mission and School, P.O. Box 610, Thoreau, NM 87323-0610, www.stbonaventuremission.org or St. Joseph's Indian School, P.O. Box 100, Chamberlain, SD 57325-0100, www.stjo.org.