Rodrigo López

Rodrigo López, at the age of 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 11, 2024 in his home. He was born on May 7, 1935, in Melchor Ocampo, Mexico, to Daniel and Silvina López, and was the eldest of three children. He immigrated to The United States in 1960 in search for more opportunity so he could provide a better life for himself and his family. His journey ultimately culminated in the creation of López Mexican Restaurant. At 7 years old he sowed corn and guided horses to mill sugar cane. At 17 years old he moved to Monterrey. He began cycling and playing baseball, which became his lifelong favorite sports. Cycling being his favorite, he won 1st place at a 12km race and won a prize purse of $500 pesos. When he was 18 years old, it was love at first sight when he set his eyes on Bertha Gonzalez. His first job for three months was cleaning and distributing clothes and went on to distribute newspaper on bike from 5-6am. Mrs. López says he was then fired because he was caught sleeping. He also worked in a factory that fabricated screws used for bikes and wheelchairs for kids and next moved on to blowing artisanal glass at Crystal Mexicano. Next, in 1960 at the age of 25, he worked at a Mexican brewery. This was his last job in Monterrey before departing to the US. His first job landed him a trip to Selma and San Jose, California for five months to pick fruit including pears, apples, peaches, grapes, and olives. Rodrigo and his then girlfriend - Bertha, would write letters to each other for the next three years. She always said that she struggled to read his illegible handwriting and said that it would take up to an hour or two to read his letters. After a whole ten year courtship, he married the love of his life, Bertha Gonzales, at 28 years old on February 17, 1963.

The two set out to build a future in Houston. They began in Montrose off Pacific St. with a rent of $30/month. It was in those early days that Rodrigo began his restaurant career. He started working at El Patio in the Rice Village where he commuted 3 miles to work on bike while also ensuring to arrive smelling good and looking sharp in uniform. The next restaurant he worked at was Felix Mexican Restaurant. Soon after, Rodrigo and Bertha moved to South Park where he began working at Fiesta Loma Linda off Griggs. Even after they saved enough for their first car, Rodrigo continued to ride 6 miles to work so Mrs. López could use it. Their neighbors, who would later become their “Compadres”, owned La Siberia in downtown where Rodrigo worked his way up to become manager. One day, Rodrigo asked the produce vendor to keep an eye out for any closing restaurant spaces because he wanted to open a restaurant himself. The vendor mentioned a spot in a strip center off Wilcrest. It was then that his dream of owning his own restaurant would begin.

On June 2, 1978, with no experience opening a business, Rodrigo and Bertha took a leap of faith, opening the first López Mexican Restaurant in the tiny space on Wilcrest Drive. With $100 left in their bank account after opening the restaurant, they wholeheartedly believed that faith and determination would make their dream a success. On day one, they promised to focus on providing an exceptional dining experience and soon after it wasn’t long before the restaurant would see guests lined up outside the door. Rodrigo, with the help of Bertha and their 3 children Jonathan, Ana and Jose, built López into one of Houston’s most beloved Mexican restaurants which stood for place that felt like a second home for many guests. In its 46 years of business, countless milestones have been accomplished, including the completion of a stand-alone building in 2000 and the opening of a second location in Richmond in 2018.

Rodrigo had a gift for solving manual problems -“Mexicanadas”. He was the Mexican MacGyver with unconventional problem-solving skills who was able to fix anything from a polaroid camera to vacuum cleaners to heavy machinery kitchen equipment. Though he had only reached the third grade, he was exceptional with numbers and very much enjoyed reading the Houston Chronicle. Daily at that! He could recite the history and statistics of just about any major league baseball player. To the López staff, he was a leader, a father figure and a friend. He championed a “work smarter, not harder” mentality and could be counted on for advice and encouraging words. He also had an impeccable sense of humor and was known for giving funny and unique nicknames. Rodrigo never missed an opportunity to have breakfast with the staff, including his “secret” cheat meals. He could be found at his favorite posts in the kitchen: at the fryer preparing chips and taco shells or at curbside adding stickers to the to-go lids and assembling boxes. He loved chatting and laughing with the staff.

For 16,933 days, which is from the day López opened to October 11th, Rodrigo’s motto was eat-sleep-breathe López. Still, he managed to be an avid cyclist, training during the week, being a weekend warrior, and participating in local competitions and races in Mexico. He enjoyed riding in the Texas MS 150 with his son, Jonathan, and friends. In his older years, he continued to ride his stationary bike at least 3 times a week. Iconically, today, the bicycle

Rodrigo rode to and from work as a waiter all those years ago now hangs at the Richmond location. It represents a testament to his hard work and determination that carried him throughout his life.

In his spare time, Rodrigo’s life centered around his faith and friendship. He was an active and highly respected member of St. Stephen Catholic Church and you could always find him and his wife at López every Saturday enjoying dinner and a drink (or two!), preferably tequila, with friends.

Rodrigo and his wife were the heart and soul of López Mexican Restaurant. To all who knew him, Rodrigo was a hard-working, humble, and generous person. Whether it was his infectious smile or hearty handshake, it was always clear how much he loved López, the entire staff, and his guests. But his greatest love – the legacy he was most proud of - was most certainly his family. Rodrigo López is survived by his loving wife, Bertha; son Jonathan López and his wife Cynthia; daughter, Ana Loera and her husband Ernesto; son, Jose López; and five grandchildren Juanrodrigo López, Regina López, Ernesto Alomar Loera, Luis Santiago Loera and Ariana Loera; his brother, Agustin López; and several more loving nieces, nephews, and cousins. Rodrigo was preceded by his parents, Daniel and Silvina López; his sister, Gregoria Valadez, his nephews Luis R. Valadez and Rumaldo López.