He is preceded in death by his son Joaquin Rodriguez, Jr., his parents Alejandro Rodriguez and Paulita Lopez Almazan, brothers Dionicio Rodriguez Sr., Benito Almazan, Guadalupe Almazan, Reynaldo Almazan and sisters Paula Rodriguez Soriano and Maria de la Luz Almazan.
He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years Juanita Rodriguez Rodriguez; his 5 children: Alma Alicia Rodriguez of Brownsville, Texas, Amalia Rodriguez of Brownsville, Texas, Javier (Deborah) Rodriguez of Boise, Idaho, Hilda Esther (Elias) Guerrero of Kingsville Texas, Maria Magdalena (Stephen) Johnson of Harlingen, Texas; his grandchildren: Valentin (Bianca) Sequera Jr., Valerie (DeAndre) Stribling, Elliot Guerrero, Calysta Guerrero, Taylor Johnson, Jessna Rodriguez, Ezekiel Guerrero, Jullya Rodriguez, Joaquin Rodriguez, Crista Guerrero, and his three great-grandchildren: DeAndre Stribling Jr., David Stribling, and Daniel Stribling.
He is also survived by his siblings from Florida, Alejandro Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez, Juanito Almazan, Jesus Almazan, Elodia Garcia, Maria Elena Almazan, Blanca Almazan and Janie Gonzalez along with numerous nephews, nieces, and other relatives who loved him dearly.
Joaquin was born in El Longoreño, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. At a very young age, he traveled across the Rio Grande to Brownsville, Texas in search of jobs, new opportunities, and a future spouse. He later became a United States Citizen and was very proud of this accomplishment. He married the love of his life in 1960 and together they built a beautiful family. Joaquin was very dedicated to his family and took every opportunity to instill in them the importance of a strong work ethic and academic success. He took pride in creating a life that allowed them to thrive. Joaquin was a man of faith and a devoted member of Christ the King Catholic Church in Brownsville, Texas. He worked for 37 years at Valley Ice and Fuel Company where he retired at the age of 75. He enjoyed driving the fuel truck and felt accomplished for maintaining a commercial driver’s license.
Joaquin enjoyed spending time with his family and was very proud of all of their endeavors. Some of his favorite things were sharing a meal with his loved ones, fishing, gardening, and indulging in the occasional Busch beer. In his later years, he also enjoyed watching westerns and vintage Spanish movies at home. One of his many accomplishments was his beautiful garden that he spent countless hours tending. He had an exceptional green thumb and loved to talk about it with everyone that would come visit. He was a creative and intuitive handyman that cared for his family dearly.
Joaquin lived a long life surrounded by many loved ones who cared deeply for him. He was a blessing to all those who loved and respected him, and he shared his wisdom and encouragement with those who came to see him. Joaquin loved to share the accomplishments of each of his kids and grandkids with all who would listen. He enjoyed talking on the phone with his children, siblings, relatives, nieces, nephews and friends. He always made sure that his family knew that he prayed for them and would always bless them when they departed. He will be greatly missed but his deep belief in the value of family and faith will be a legacy that his family will remember forever.
Pallbearers: Javier Rodriguez, Elias Guerrero, Stephen Johnson, Valentin Sequera Jr., Ezekiel Guerrero & DeAndre Stribling
Honorary Pallbearers: Elliot Guerrero, Joaquin Rodriguez
