The Honorable Gilbert Rodriguez, Jr.

Gilbert, the second of nine children, was born on December 30, 1942, to Anita Diaz Rodriguez and Gilbert Rodriguez, Sr. in Coleman, Texas. From the age of 9 years, Gilbert’s bilingualism and heart for serving others encouraged him to interpret and translate for his father and other migrant workers. This opportunity ignited what would become a lifelong love for learning, sparking change for his community, and service for those in need.

Anyone who knew Gilbert, knew that education and community service was vital to him. He always sought to help those less fortunate, weaving this theme throughout his entire life, especially within the Hispanic community. At the age of 12, he left school in order to help his family make ends meet. His strong self-discipline and determination to acquire a better life and be an example to others, was paramount. By the age of 15, he returned to school, made straight A’s, and graduated from Abilene High School in 1964. In 1967, he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin. The following year, he began law school at U.T., subsequently earning his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1971. Shortly after, he began his legal career in Edinburg, Texas for Texas Rural Legal Aid. He continued his work in legal aid in Pharr and Alice, where he served as supervising attorney. Gilbert then became the Executive Director of Nueces County Legal Aid in Corpus Christi. He returned home to Abilene in 1982, to serve as Executive Director for West Texas Legal Aid. A few years later, he was appointed by Governor Ann Richards to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. After several years of service to the state, Gilbert then relocated to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he worked as a judge for the Social Security Administration. He continued his judgeship in Dallas for several years, before retiring in 2015.

Aside from his legal service, Gilbert’s political activism played a significant role in his life. He volunteered and directed numerous political campaigns at the local, state, and federal level. Gilbert’s other community endeavors include serving as president for the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Council 605, president of Taylor County Mexican-American Democrats, officer on the Abilene NAACP Council, director of the Abilene Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, board member on the Children’s Justice Act Task Force, initiator of Abilene’s Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Leadership Training Program, volunteer at the Abilene Noah Project and Abilene Rape Crisis Center, and happily serving as a little league umpire. Also, Gilbert spent many years mentoring underprivileged and underserved students, as well as children in the foster care system. Although Gilbert’s professional and community involvement took a significant amount of his time, he also had many hobbies that he enjoyed, which would often lead to the making of dear friendships. From a young age, Gilbert was an avid reader, enjoyed music (especially classical), was thrilled to play family board games, and loved to be in the water. Also, he enjoyed many athletic activities and often joined leagues involving tennis, jogging, bowling, golfing, and handball. For most of his years, Gilbert was known for his love of cooking, gardening, traveling with his family, watching old “classic” movies, his pride in his grandchildren, and his die-hard fandom of the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, and Abilene High Eagles.

In addition to his many professional and community-based activities, responsibility to his family was of great importance to Gilbert. In 1963, he met the pretty blue-eyed girl next door, Patricia, who would quickly become his lifelong love. He and Patricia married in 1965, and they had three children together. Gilbert is preceded in death by his parents, Gilbert Sr. and Anita Rodriguez; three brothers, Robert, Willie, and Frank; two sisters, Lupe and Maria Elena; a brother-in-law, Jay Stevens; three nephews, Michael, Eric, and Jesse; and lastly, his baby grandson, Maxwell Ford. Gilbert is survived by his wife of 57 years, Patricia; his son, Mark;, his daughter, Melanie; his daughter and her husband, Alyssa and J.R. Ford; his granddaughter, Airiel Hale; and grandson, Jeremiah Ford. Also surviving is his sister, Virginia Gonzales; a brother, Martin and his wife Lupe; a brother, Joe and his partner Linda; a brother-in-law, Gary Stevens and wife Sylvia; a sister-in-law, Carla Stevens; and a sister-in-law, Kathy Conway and husband Larry, as well as many nieces, nephews, and dear friends whom he loved to tease and aggravate with laughter.

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