Nadine Evelyn Rodriguez

Nadine Evelyn Rodriguez passed away after a brief illness on June 29, 2026, at the age of 84. A longtime resident of Orange County, Nadine had lived in La Quinta, California, for the past 4 years. Nadine started teaching in 1966 in Caliente, CA at the same school she & her brothers had attended & her father before that. She taught Kindergarten,1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th grades in a one room classroom & was featured because of it in 1968 in an NBC documentary “Home Town USA” narrated by Chet Huntley. She went on to teach in Tehachapi, Bakersfield & Los Angeles before finding her home at Santa Ana Unified School District in 1971. She taught 2nd grade there before becoming an elementary school assistant principal in 1974. She was promoted to elementary school principal in 1976 & was a principal for 27 years before retiring in 2002. She was a principal at Lowell, Franklin, John Muir Fundamental, Hoover, Washington & Hoover Elementary Schools. After she retired, she was asked to come back to help SAUSD high schools with WASC accreditations. She went on to be an assistant principal at Santa Ana High School for several years. In all, Nadine was an educator for 42 years. She loved mentoring students & new teachers, & many of her teachers went on to become principals in the district.

Nadine also served as President of the Santa Ana Board of Parks & Rec for years in the 1990’s. She was a longtime member of the Santa Ana Assistance League at the time of her death. She loved cooking & was known for always bringing decadent treats to events. She taught a tamale making class to the members of the Santa Ana Assistance League.

More than anything, Nadine loved her grandchildren & great-grandchildren. They were the light of her world & she talked about them constantly. She was proud of their accomplishments & their greatest support & cheerleader. Grandma was there for all of them, no matter the time or day.

Nadine was preceded in death by her father Manuel D. Rodriguez, her mother Susie R. Rodriguez, her brother Manuel D. Rodriguez, Jr. & her son John J. Simmons. She is survived by her daughter Christine Simmons Sanders (Gary), her son Franz J. Ebert, her daughter Erika Ebert Nelson (Matthew), her 8 grandchildren Ariel Kelly Corday (Michael), Nicholas G. Sanders (Kaitlyn), Josef Ebert, Benjamin Nelson, Thomas Nelson, Evelynn Simmons, Andrew Nelson, Christopher Nelson, her 2 great-grandchildren Jonathan Corday & Violet Sanders, & her 2 brother Francis Rodriguez & Gerard Rodriguez.

Visitation will be held 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM with a Rosary at 7:00 PM at McAulay & Wallace Mortuary, 902 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92832.

Funeral Mass will be held 10:00 am, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, .at Saint Joseph Church, 727 N Minter St, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

Committal Service will be immediate family only.