Henrietta was born in Tulare, California, on July 15, 1941, the daughter of Martin Alva and Lucy Espinoza. In March 1972 she married Jose Rodriguez, and the two of them made family the heart of everything they did.
Henrietta's joys were simple ones, and she never tired of them. She loved yellow roses, a crossword puzzle with a pen in hand, and time out in her garden. She kept up faithfully with her soap operas, played games on her tablet, and used Facebook to stay close to everyone she loved. Still, the best part of any day was a knock at the door from one of her children or grandchildren dropping by.
Her love was the kind you could hold in your hands. She sewed, and on summer breaks her children wore clothes she had made herself. In the kitchen she was simply wonderful, and her tamales were famous in the family, each one hiding a single olive inside. Finding it was part of the joy of eating them, and a reminder of who had made them.
Nothing in her life meant more to Henrietta than her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She wanted to hear it all: their news, their stories, the big moments and the small ones. To them she was a place of warmth and safety, and the love that passed between them was among the truest things in her family. That love did not end with her. It goes on in every one of them.
Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband, Jose; her daughter, Michelle; her parents, Martin Alva and Lucy Espinoza; her sister, Pauline; and her brother, Martin. She is survived by her children, Debbie, Joe, Veronica, Patricia, Jose Luis, Richard, and Desiree; her brother, Arthur; 18 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Funeraria del Angel West Covina, 2333 W. Merced Ave., West Covina.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Baldwin Park, followed by burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Rosemead.
She gave her family a lifetime of love, and they will carry it with them always.
