Joseph Sanchez Rodriguez

Born: March 17, 1935 in Del Rey, California

Parents: Pedro and Isabel Rodriguez who were from Malaga, Spain

Siblings: Pete, Tony, Sebastian “CB”, and Leo (Stepbrothers: Marcelino and Manuel). His siblings Frank, Lucia and Josefa all passed away when they were toddlers from high fevers.

The family moved to San Leandro, California, in the late 1930’s.

Graduated High School: San Leandro High School 1953

Army Service: After high school, he attended basic training at Fort Ord in Monterey, CA, and was stationed in Germany.

Employment: Joe began working at AT&T Western Electric in San Leandro after being honorably discharged from the Army. He retired at age 55 as a Senior Inspector of Telecommunications Equipment after 34 years of service.

Married: Joe met his future bride Helen Marie Pejovich at a Hawaiian Luau dance in Oakland, CA. They dated for 1-year and were married on June 14, 1959 at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Oakland, CA. Helen was 19 years old and Joe was 23 years old. They honeymooned in Mexico, and toured Acapulco and Mexico City.

A year later, Michelle was born on April 14, 1960. Joe was worried that their new baby girl would get sick, so he asked his sister-in-law “Boots” to disinfect the apartment before they brought Michelle home from the hospital. Marcia said that Boots did such a great job cleaning, that her eyes burned from all the chemical fumes.

The young couple bought their first home in 1964 for $22,000 in the Marina District in San Leandro. Their home was located on Trinidad Road, and his brother Leo and sister-in-law Gloria lived up the street with their three girls: Julie, Melinda and Sherri. Nicole was born on April 3, 1967 and sister-in-law Marcia’s son Steven was born eight hours later.

Joe and Helen enjoyed taking their girls to Calistoga, Twin Lakes Beach in Santa Cruz, and on Sunday drives in their 1960 Jaguar. On these drives, they would often take the girls to see something of historical interest, like a California Mission or Fort, or they would simply pack a picnic and find a beautiful setting in which to enjoy it. Some of their more memorable vacations include family trips to Canada, Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm, and Yugoslavia. Joe and Helen also took trips to Spain, Ireland, England and Italy. They were married for 56 years.

Hobbies: Joe loved to play and watch sports; particularly baseball. As a Bay Area son, he supported the Oakland A’s and the SF Giants. He played “ball” for most of his life. In San Leandro, he played on a men’s softball team with his brother Leo at Thrasher Park.

When the family moved to Kimber Park in Fremont, he took up tennis and was determined to master the sport on his own. He studied the pro’s and practiced daily at Mission High School’s tennis wall. Once he was confident in his skills, he joined the tennis league at the Kimber Woods Tennis and Swim Club.

After moving to Lincoln, he began playing softball again and joined the senior league at Sun City Lincoln Hills. He would often dress hours before he had to be on the field because he didn’t want to be late. He also enjoyed watching his grandchildren play ball. Joe first cheered Daniella on the softball field, then came Dylan on the pitcher’s mound, and most recently, he would bundle up to watch Sam and Milena’s games.

Joe was also an avid gardener, and he encouraged his family to work together to maintain the yard by pulling weeds, planting annuals and pruning. He insisted on hand-watering even though they had a timed sprinkler system. He especially loved roses – French Perfume was his favorite. Joe’s brother CB also enjoyed gardening and showed him how to graft trees and propagate new plants from cuttings.

Retirement: Shortly after Joe retired, his mother-in-law Dorothy, who suffered from dementia, moved in. He took care of Dorothy for two years before she fell and broke her kneecap and moved into a skilled nursing facility.

He later took care of his infant granddaughter Daniella after Michelle went back to work. He cared for Daniella until she started grammar school.

Joe and Helen moved to Sun City or “Pleasantville,” as Helen called it, in 2000. They loved their retirement community and their neighbors. Joe and Helen would often take drives on area backroads to explore and discover local treasures. They especially enjoyed going to the movies and thrift shops together.

After Helen passed in July 2015, Joe moved into a smaller home just a few houses down from Boots and her husband Mitch. He did not enjoy living alone; and in October 2017, he moved in with his daughter Michelle. He and Michelle would cook together, run errands, and watch movies. He especially loved going with her to Nicole’s house to visit his youngest grandkids. Hearing about their latest accomplishments and activities always put a smile on his face.

As many of you know, Joe smoked Pall Mall cigarettes for many years. Although he quit nearly 20 years ago, the damage was done. He suffered from Stage 3 COPD with acute Emphysema. When the Flu hit the Vidovich household in February, Joe’s cold turned into pneumonia, which led to congestive heart failure. While at the hospital, he told his girls that cigarettes should be outlawed.

Just 10 days prior to his passing, Joe celebrated his 83rd birthday on St. Patrick’s Day with what came to be known as his traditional birthday dinner: Corned Beef and Cabbage. Although the household was under quarantine for the Flu, the family showered dad with all the attention that he richly deserved to make him feel special on his big day. A day now, that they will cherish forever.

Joe leaves behind family and friends who love him deeply and are forever grateful for his many sacrifices, acts of kindness and wonderful memories. He was well-liked by all and loved by many. His warm and ready smile will be missed.

God Bless You Joe Rodriguez. Memory Eternal!