Mr. Salvador Edmundo Rodriguez

Salvador E. Rodriguez Salvador E. Rodriguez passed away on Tuesday, the 26th of April 2011, at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. He was born on the 9th of March 1945 to Salvador G. and Dolores G. Rodriguez in Cd. Juarez, Chih., Mexico.

When he started first grade, Sal began a daily commute across the International Bridge between Juarez and El Paso to catch a bus to attend Catholic school. The only word he knew in English was “teacher.” He was an excellent student and made steady progress each year in learning the language. He became fluent in Spanish and English and worked very diligently to be able to speak both languages with no accent. His family moved to El Paso when he was nine years old and he became a proud U.S. citizen when he was fourteen years of age. He remained in Catholic schools in El Paso until he went to Burges High School. Burges was the source of many long lasting friendships for Sal and Chris. Sal was an outstanding athlete and played football, baseball and basketball in high school. He also was elected President of the Student Council and Most Popular Senior. He earned a football scholarship to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and became a lifelong “Horned Frog.” Both of his sons are TCU graduates and Sal loved attending football games with them. This past New Years’ day, the whole family made the trip to Los Angeles to attend the Rose Bowl. This was one of the most fun and exciting events of his life.

Sal was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served in Viet Nam from 1969 to 1970. He was in the First Air Cavalry and the Fourth Infantry. After he returned home, he came to Houston to attend law school at the University of Houston. In law school, he met Christine Compton and they were married in 1971. They recently celebrated 40 years of marriage. After graduating from law school he worked for Raymond International, Zapata Corporation, GeoSource and Oceaneering. Working for these firms, Sal travelled the world. Being quite a raconteur, he had wonderful stories about the many countries he visited. He later worked for several law firms before setting up his own practice. Sal was a well-known and well-respected international, tax and corporate attorney here in Houston.

Sal was the Chairman of the Board of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation for several years. He was a passionate advocate for teaching young Hispanic students to speak good English. He knew from experience that the best way to succeed in this country was to learn the language and work hard in school. Sal also was a member of the TCU Clark Society, the Frog Club and had been president of the Houston TCU Alumni Chapter. He became a supporter of M.D. Anderson Hospital after his beloved sister’s battle with leukemia. He was a faithful parishioner at St. Michael Catholic Church and was a donor to Our Lady of Guadalupe School in the East End. Sal loved living in Houston and was an advocate for our city’s dynamic atmosphere which affords everyone the opportunity to do well regardless of one’s background.

Sal had a personality that could light up a room. He was charismatic, witty, intelligent, hardworking and generous in every way imaginable. His family was his greatest passion. His sons were a great source of pride and joy for him. He enjoyed coaching them in basketball and baseball for many years and always encouraged them to work hard and pursue their dreams.

Sal was preceded in death by his father, Salvador G. Rodriguez and his sister, Hilda Rodriguez Megaw. He is survived by his wife, Christine; his son Michael Christopher and Michael’s fiancee, Ashley Shannon, and his son Alexander Matthew and Alex’s wife, Katie. He is also survived by his mother, Dolores G. Rodriguez; his brother-in-law, David Megaw; his niece, Lisa Megaw Tummillo and her family; his nephew, Michael Megaw and his family; his sisters-in-law Cheri Stachowiak and her family and Carol Compton.

Services in Houston are with Geo. H. Lewis & Sons - The Funeral Directors Since 1936, 713-789-3005. www.geohlewis.com

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from two until five o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 1st of May, in the Parlor of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A Mass of Christian Burial is to be offered at nine o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 2nd of May, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston, where the Rev. Christopher Nguyen is to serve as celebrant.

Immediately following the service, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent Parish Life Center.

The Rite of Committal is to be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 3rd of May, at Hogeye Cemetery of Celeste, Texas, where Deacon Lee Davis of St. William’s Catholic Church of Greenville, Texas, is to officiate, and military honors are to be rendered by the United States Army.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Sal’s name be directed to Sal’s alma mater, the The Neeley School of Business, Attn: David Dibble, TCU Box 298530, Fort Worth, TX, 76129.

“Vaya con Dios, querido.”