Always respected coach Rod. He was an intimidating presence as an opponent.  We had the best back in forth with CC back in the day. I will never forget the infamous  moment during the DCC tournament  in 89 with coach Rod and Kruegers dad. Loved it! He came off the mat, made eye contact with me and we gave each other a smile.  I was friends with several DCC guys from that era including Chris. My mentor and coach Bill Regnier was a good friend of coach Rod.  God bless this great man and welcome  him into heaven.  Jim Dec Bedford class of 89

My Deepest Condolences to The Family. I've know the family most of my life all the way back to Arno Elementary School. He was always a kind man along with his wife never treated me any different form any other kids around. My heart goes out to the family I send my Prayers and Love to y'all. Respectfully. David Pringle ❤️🙏🏾
God Bless

Dear Steve, Jackie, Dave, Chris, Nancy, and Patty. 
       I wanted to extend our sympathies to all of you on the loss of your Mom and Dad. At the same time,  I would like to thank you all for sharing them with us. We were tied together by the first of many CC state wrestling championships starting in 1969.
       Your parents always made us feel so special. It felt like they would do anything for us, and embarrassingly, they often did. They always made us feel like special family members. That feeling was accentuated with every get-together and special occasion that have become the fabric of a lifetime of memories. The championships were certainly part of those. But the friendships, connections, and family bonds that grew out of them meant even more over the years.
       One of our fondest memories was our first introduction to tacos. Growing up in Detroit, we knew very little about Mexican food. Mike and June would serve tacos. We were not sure how to eat them, but we were quick learners! It still makes us smile.
       Please know that we are thinking of all of you at this difficult time. We hope you find comfort in knowing how much they will continue to mean to us who were fortunate enough to be a part of their lives.
       With heartfelt sympathy and love, Chris and Sara Antoniotti and the entire Antoniotti family.

He was an amazing teacher of life as well as wrestling. His presence made an impression that lasted a lifetime.  It’s hard to say how much he influenced my career, family, relationships, and life, but I contribute much of my success to the discipline and confidence I retained long after leaving the mat. He had a way of meeting you were you were and using his life stories like a lesson plan. If you took his driving school, you remember going to get donuts in the morning, then doing donuts in the parking lot snow. Neither were part of the ciriculum but those moments shaped me and I remember 42 years later.  He is still a very strong voice in my head, coaching me through life to this day, never leaving me even when I left to California. His  passing in the physical form feels more symbolic because his spirit is very alive  in my consciousness. Like when I make a frustrating mistake and hear him saying  “hey pizza, are you thick”, then stop taking myself too seriously and giggle. 

I love you coach. I am so grateful for being lucky enough to have you in my life. Rest in peace my teacher, my mentor, and my friend. You will be missed but never forgotten.

The Showers family is special to us and some wonderful  memories of Mike and June involve them proudly watching Raptors baseball. Mike and June could cheer with the best of them!! They both will be missed here on earth! We are praying for the whole family during this grief journey. 

Scott, Sheila, Jon, Fernanda, Marc, Caleb and Lauren Stewart

I’ll always remember Mike and June. My brothers Mitch (1969) and Mark (1970-1) were wrestlers on his early state championship teams. I missed that opportunity having graduated in 1966.

We enjoyed the close relationship Mike and June had with my parents even vacationing together.

They attended my mother’s memorial mass at her passing. I am smiling when I realize that June and my parents will be smiling down at Mike during his mass tomorrow.

Good job Mike, we love you!

You may be gone but you will never be forgotten. Thank you for all the lives you helped coach.  God bless.

I can’t say enough about coach. How often does a coach also become a great friend. You will be happier than ever now that you’re with June. Miss you both, Love you both Tom &Sandy Blaine

To me, Coach "Rod" will always be remembered as a mentor and a true family person. One of many memories that really sticks with me (along with the the Kentucky Wrestling Tournament), was in my Sophomore year, 1978. He called my home asking for the best way to make homemade tortillas from scratch.  My Grandmother Juanita Yglesias (she was visiting us from Texas at the time) was home and I passed the phone onto her. And boy, did that make his day. I think she even gave away Coach Rod some of her secrets. Rest in Peace Coach.

Sincere condolences to the family, especially my friend Steve.  God’s peace and comfort to all.  Jim and June Bales

I am sure that I am one of many.

This is a man who is influenced the lives of many young men positively. Between him and his wife, they likely had thousands of sons. He was one of the gems Lord, let eternal light shine upon him.

Mike taught me how to be a better wrestler, in one week, at a camp in Wolverine, than I learned in three years from my coaches. He was a great person.

Back to 1961.  Sixty five years ago. I was a Sr. in C.C.'s second year of wrestling. On a cold, bleak, dark night, the  Catholic Central bus took us over to River Rouge for a match. It was C.C.'s all White team vs. River Rouge all Black team with a Mexican Coach (his family from Guanajuato).  It was  my very first moment seeing diversity and the melting pot of the American Dream. 

During the match, the Mexican Coach, Rodriguez, became a welcome, "flash point," a Super Hero who taught me (without knowing it) how to become my own man by jumping off the page  of the  Book  of Life... right there in that musty River Rouge Gym, 65 years ago. 

So freeing to be your own man, the only one who defines you. I used that lesson for 43 years in Courtrooms where I would give voice to the Common Man and the Forgotten Woman-- Rod's parents and my own parents.

Over the years when Rod needed a little advice on how to get back in the Book of Life before the gendarmes showed up, we would have conversations in Law, Civics and staying a step ahead of  the opposition and the repercussions of being (shall I say) a little to far out of the book and off the page. But, Rod and I always played to our strengths and it always worked  out well ... for may decades.

Congratulations. Great Life Rod. Oh ,so well lived. I'll catch up to you again when I get off Probation.

Fred Lauck
Friend of Rod 
From 1961-2026

My family has many fond memories of coach Rod and June.  I was lucky to be on the first state championship in 1969 and while failing to earn a finish coach Rod give up on me and networked to line up some scholarships for me but I had a burning desire to go to his alma mater and walk-on to prove myself.  My accomplishments were attributed to his leadership for the young men he mentored and coach Rod will forever be in my memories.

Go Blue and Go Shamrocks!!!
Condolences to a great coach and developer of men.

Mitch Mendrygal  co-captain of the 1969 State Wrestling  Championship Team

When Coach Rod pulled my brother Saad out of a school hallway in 1968 and told him he was going to be our heavyweight, none of us could have imagined just how profoundly that moment would change our lives forever.
Coach Rod became so much more than a wrestling coach to Saad, Waad, and me. He became a mentor and a guiding force who helped shape the people we would become. He influenced the direction of my life in ways that I will always be grateful for, and his impact on our family is something that words can hardly express.
Coach Rod invested countless hours molding us, not only into wrestlers, but into the men God intended us to be. Through his discipline, his wisdom, and, most importantly, his love, he taught us lessons that extended far beyond the wrestling mat. He taught us about character, faith, perseverance, and what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
But what made Coach Rod truly special was that his love for us never ended when our wrestling careers came to an end. He loved my family as if we were his own. That love continued through the years and extended to my own children, who were blessed to experience the warmth and kindness of a man who had already given so much to our family.
Looking back, I realize how fortunate we were that Coach Rod walked into our lives when he did. One simple moment in a school hallway became the beginning of a lifelong bond that shaped our character, strengthened our faith, and gave us memories and relationships that we will cherish forever.
Coach Rod, thank you for believing in Saad, Waad, and me. Thank you for the countless hours, the sacrifices, and the unconditional love you gave our family. Thank you for being the kind of man whose influence reaches across generations and whose legacy lives on in the lives of the people you touched.
You will forever be a part of our family, and we will carry your memory in our hearts for the rest of our lives.
We love you, we will miss you, and we will never forget you

Your parents were both such class acts and wonderful human beings. It is a comfort to know they are together again now!

Dear Coach Rod:
I will never forget the day you sat with me in the 6565 gym bleachers and took time to explain to a young freshman what it  means to be a successful CC man and graduate. You emphasized hard work,  integrity, being coachable, and committing to walking away in four years a different, better person, than when I arrived. And sometimes when I fell short, you still believed in and stood by me but thankfully, not without verbal reprimand. ("I outta get you in this wrestling room and beep beep beep" 🙂)
The conversations and continuous accountability left a lasting mark on my life. Wisdom that remains in the repository of my heart. Some lessons transcend the moment they are taught, and become part of who we are and how we live. Your open, up front, bleacher side chat, and real time mentoring did exactly that.
Coach Rod, your influence extends far beyond the wrestling room, the classroom, or sports. You represent the very essence of Detroit Catholic Central leadership, character, and greatness. And you Coach are, and will always be, "Greatness" personified.

Its comforting to know you are in God's hands.

P.S.  Save me a game of handball.

Love and Honor,
Alan Mitchell
Class of '77

Consuelo Dent (Miranda)
Cousin 
Tucson,A

To the family of Mike Rodriquez I extend my deepest condolences for your father’s passing! I am so deeply sorry. I have nothing but very fond memories of Mike and always remember him when I would go visit his mother, who was my Aunt!  His mother and my grandmother were sisters. I am praying for his family!

From your Rodriguez Family in Buda, Texas, our sincere condolences. May God bring you all comfort and your parents everlasting peace.

Arthur Rayos

I first met Mike when I was a freshman or sophomore at Michigan and he was a senior at Ann Arbor high school.  Joe Bonnet a friend of mine from Bay Shore had joined me at Michigan.  We met Mike and got him interested in wrestling.  He joined the wrestling team a year or so later.  I was a couple years ahead of him in school.  Aside from showing him some holds, oddly enough we never wrestled -- even in practice.

Mike had a great career at Michigan and will always be remembered.
Joe Scandura

Was at 50th CC Reunion when we got the news of Mr Rodriguez’ passing. Half of the attendees had been taught to do doughnuts in his Drivers Ed class. Those of us who wrestled remembered what a great coach he was. I remembered what a great man he was. Driving us to be the best we could be. Tapping his heart mid-match to tell us to find more courage. Every pep talk he gave included a reference to food (a centerpiece of every dieting wrestler’s life). But my favorite memory was the impish glee he showed when something truly delighted him. A great man.

There are certain people who come into our lives and leave an impact so profound that it stays with us forever. Coach Rod was one of those people, and I know I speak for thousands of young men who had the privilege of knowing him.

Coach Rod was an extraordinary coach but an even greater man. He was a mentor, a teacher, a role model, and an inspiration who helped shape generations of young men. He taught us lessons about hard work, discipline, perseverance, accountability, and believing in ourselves—lessons that extended far beyond the wrestling mat and have remained with us throughout our lives. His greatest legacy cannot be measured simply by championships or victories, but by the character of the men he helped shape and the countless lives he changed along the way.

To the Rodriguez family, I hope you find comfort in knowing just how deeply he was loved, respected, and appreciated by so many. His impact was extraordinary, and his legacy will live on for generations.

Thank you, Coach Rod, for believing in us, challenging us, and giving so much of yourself to make us better. I am forever grateful and incredibly proud to have been one of your wrestlers.

Rest in peace, Coach. You made a difference in more lives than you could ever imagine.

It was my senior year.  We were wrestling in the State Championship tournament.  I was in a match against a very strong opponent with a recorded of 40-2.  I was down 8-2 with only 45 seconds left in the match.  I was getting set in the down position when I looked over to coach Rod who looked deep into my soul and pointed his finger to his heart and mouthed “Dig deep,…you got this!”   I remember at that point I felt my mind clear and body relax.   My opponent got on top and set.  The Ref blew the whistle to start and I threw this move I had practiced over and over, but never had great success with it in practice.   Coach previous said it doesn’t work in practice because your teammates know it’s coming, but when you use it in a match, it will.  Well, it did indeed.  I made the move which completely caught my opponent off guard and I pinned him before the match ended.  This victory helped  to add needed team points and continue our path in achieving our 1983 State Championship with J. Alcala & M. Raedle securing State Championship titles, me taking 3rd and Mike D taking 5th.   Coach Rod was considered a second father and mentor to me and many others.

He was the most inspirational man I have ever met. Many times, I have asked myself, what would Coach Rod do? A great man, a great legacy. He will NEVER be forgotten.

The true measure of a man is not just what he accomplishes, but the lives he influences and the legacy he leaves behind. Mike Rodriguez made a difference in so many lives, and his influence will continue to be felt for generations to come.

Rest in peace, Coach. Thank you for your friendship, your inspiration, and everything you gave to the sport of wrestling. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with Mike’s family, friends, and everyone fortunate enough to have known him.

My condolences and thoughts and prayers to the wonderful Rodriguez family.  I had the utmost respect for Coach and always enjoyed his teaching at the Wildcat Wrestling Clinics at WMU in Kalamazoo.  He was knowledgeable as  anyone and taught life lessons that I never forgot.  Rest in peace.

My father, Frank Kline, was the wrestling coach at Ann Arbor High School in the late '40's. Mike was one of his first champion wrestlers. I was only 5 or 6, but I can still remember Mike picking up his opponent and putting down on the mat to pin him. He made it look effortless. It is nice to know what a positive influence Mike had on so many.

Coach Rod helped shape me as a young man to influence all of us at CC to be a loving Christian man! God bless his soul! A life well lived!!

I was a senior at CC in1970,  and after watching Coach Rod, bring his 1969 team to win the state championship, I decided I would like to try my hand at wrestling. I had no experience, but Coach Rod worked with me every day to teach me how to wrestle.  Not only did I have the privilege of having him as our coach, but I had the privilege of wrestling with some of the very greats in CC history. Rick Jones, John Ryan, Dave Dillworth, and Steve Rodriguez. I lost my first three matches, but Coach Rod kept encouraging me, working with me every day. I only lost one match the rest of the year until the state tournament. I lost in the finals of the state districts, the state regionals, and in the quarterfinals of the state tournament and ended my career 33-7-1.  We won the state championship again, and the discipline motivation and work ethic coach Rod taught me during my senior year has carried me the rest of my life. Thanks, Coach Rod. You’re in my heart forever.

Coach Rod was a great coach, mentor,, father figure, and friend. He was my hero. Rest in peace, my friend Martin J Moran and family

Coach Rods son Chris and I became great friends and roommates in college, which might seem weird as Chris was a wrestler and I was a swimmer.  One year Chris invited me to Thanksgiving dinner with his family, which they did about a week earlier so the entire family could be there.  Chris would come to my parents the following week lol.  I remember talking to Coach Rod for quite some time about how much swimming and wrestling were similar.  He blew my mind about how much knew about swimming and how much he admired our work ethic and mentioned that our sports were the toughest on the planet.  Besides sports what really struck me was how the family treated me as one of their own and how much love was in that home.  What a great man with a great family.  Rest in peace Coach Rod!!🙏🏼

Coach will rest in peace!  My condolences to the family and may you find comfort in this difficult time.

OBITUARY

Mike Rodriguez

March 30, 1932 – October 9, 2026

Harry J Will Funeral Homes

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