Pablo Rodriguez

Pablo was born in Naranjito, Puerto Rico on May 16, 1933, but grew up in Bayamon, Puerto Rico with his family. Pablo was taught a strong work ethic from his parents. His mother Maria, took in laundry and had numerous employees working for her. His father Emilio or Millo as he was lovingly called, worked in the sugar cane fields and also farmed and sold goods to local grocers and owned a small coffee shop before relocating to New York City.

As a young child Pablo sold used burlap bags to the movie houses of Puerto Rico for entrance into the theater to watch his favorite movies and comedians of the day. And by the time he was 7 he began making homemade candy to sell at the movie theater. He also sold newspapers for half a penny a paper when he was a child. He often spoke about growing up in the depression but never complained except to say he had 1 pair of shoes and they had to be taken off when it rained because the bottoms were made of cardboard. Pablo told many funny stories of his childhood, playing baseball with his friends, who thought he could predict the weather before a game but he was often times wrong because it rains almost daily in Bayamon. He spoke of many times swimming in the river and bicycle riding. He spoke of his love of reading, astronomy, and of his dreams to be a lawyer.

In 1951, when he was 18 years old Pablo and his beloved father Millo relocated to NYC. He endured his first cold winter of New York with a $7 coat that as he says was like paper. It was in NYC where Pablo perfected his accented English and read the English newspaper daily and watched the English news as well. He said after getting lost in the NYC subway for hours he never wanted to be someone who couldn’t understand or get to where he needed because he didn’t understand the language.

Shortly after arriving to the states he was drafted into the U.S Army during the Korean War, where he served two years mostly in Merced, California. He was honorably discharged, which his father Millo was most proud of, his son had served in the United Stated Armed Forces.

From the mid 50’s to late 60’s he worked numerous jobs including working as a deliveryman for a dry cleaner and was honored to have delivered clothes to the talented Ms. Rita Moreno. He also worked at the Ticonderoga pencil factory while living with his best friend, father Millo and sending money back home to help his mother and younger siblings, until they also migrated to NYC. He left the pencil factory when they relocated to Pennsylvania because he could not leave his father or his beloved Manhattan.

In the late 60’s to early 70’s he joined the Merchant Seaman and visited various countries including Vietnam during the war to bring supplies but also visited Hawaii and the Philippines and many other beautiful places.

When he returned he opened a food truck out of his van. He made and sold delicious Puerto Rican delicacies on the Upper West side where he lived. This is where he met his common law wife Maria.

His love for Maria grew to include her son Benjie and together they had two daughters Melissa and Jennifer. Pablo was a generous man, giving everything he had to his wife and children as well as his parents, siblings and in-laws. The party was always at his house, which was always overflowing with food, music, laughter and plenty of dancing.

In 1976 with his family’s best interest in mind, which he always put first, he moved his wife Maria and 3 children to Queens for a better life. The family went from a 1 1/2 bedroom walk up to a large 6 room apartment with an elevator and it’s own balcony!

There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his family. He worked tirelessly 5-6 days per week, cooked when he was off or even when he wasn’t and did all the heavy chores at home, including mopping and window washing on a 12th floor apartment.

In 1981 after holding jobs as a handyman in many high rise buildings in NYC, Pablo got a coveted city job with the NYC Transit Authority. At 48, he dug his heels in, first being a porter on the overnight shift and eventually moving up the ladder to Hydraulics Maintainer. His crew was for emergency mostly. If there was a water main break he took on mandatory overtime until he retired at 68.

In between all that, Pablo’s family grew. His son Ben gave him 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. His daughter Melissa gave him 4 grandsons and his daughter Jennifer gave him 5 grandchildren. He adored them all. It was wonder any of them could walk because he loved to carry them everywhere.

In 2005, he moved to Rock Hill, NY to follow his daughter Melissa and her family and bought his own home. At age 72, Pablo again went to work but this time in his home. Mowing the lawn, raking leaves, and shoveling snow at both homes, Melissa’s and his own. He cared for his young grandsons teaching them his strong work ethic, Christian values and conflict resolution skills and often visited his other grandchildren in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

At age 88, he was still climbing on his roof to fix a leak on one of his sky lights and changed the brakes of his car. He did everything for himself and for others including cook breakfast, lunch and dinner whenever anyone visited his home. He was never tired or angry about the task at hand. He continued to sharpen his mind and knowledge doing the daily crossword puzzles and by always keeping abreast of the world news and politics.

Pablo also gave his heart to many pets over his life time. He had a pet pig in Puerto Rico named Bebé and a dog. In Queens he had Mandy and his beloved Scorpio, who slept on Maria’s side of the bed when no one was looking, he inherited Gizmo and finally Mojo. He fed all the animals that he encountered even wild ones. He fed the birds, chipmunks, squirrels, skunks and opossums and deer that visited his property in Rock Hill.

Pablo was loved by many. He had many friends from his old neighborhood on 100th Street and Manhattan Avenue on the upper west side, more friends at the social club he danced many nights away on 106th street on the East side. Friends from his 20 years of service with the NYC MTA, whom he met annually for the retirement parties even after he retired and the new family he inherited in Rock Hill.

Pablo’s greatest love was his family and friends - that he called family. Pablo was the life of the party, he always had a funny story to tell of how life used to be, he loved to dance and he loved life. He lived it, never complaining and always ready for the unexpected which he handled in stride.

Pablo will be sorely missed by everyone. He was the last of the good ones.

Pablo is survived by his ex-wife three children, his 3 sisters, 14 grandchildren and 2 great grands, nieces and nephews and countless extended family and friends. Pablo was loved and loved them all dearly.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkchapel.com for the Rodriguez family.