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UNION NEWS
Robert W. Rodriguez...September 12, 1935 – January 10, 2002
Substance loses a true friend
By Theresa D. Daniels
 Bob Rodriguez truly
lived a very full life in his 66 years here on earth. Late of Southeast
Chicago, he was the cherished husband of Lyleth “Lolly” nee
Rossi, with whom he raised 19 children: Peggy (Cisco), Andy (Ozden), Stacy
(Roy), David, Matt (Kim), Dino (Kelly), Karen (Rene), Jamie (Bob), Van,
Carl, Chris (Brooke), Corey, Kevin, Joe, George, Anthony, Jimmy (Lisa),
Paul, and Kathy (Rick). He was the grandfather of 21. He leaves a host
of other bereaved relatives and friends.
Bob was recognized
for his contributions and work by the St. Vincent De Paul Society through
the Frederic Ozanam Award; received the Volunteer Award at Our Lady of
Guadalupe Church; and was chosen as the “1996 Citizen of the Year”
by the South Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Bob and Lolly were recognized
as “Foster Parents of the Year” and received several “Parents
of Special Children” Awards over the years.
In 1980, Bob worked
with his wife to develop a food pantry that still exists today. One of
his proudest moments was when he completed construction of his garage
that houses the food pantry, paying for it with his own funds. His selfless
efforts have served thousands of people over the last two decades.
In spite of a health
decline in 1994 that resulted in his long journey with kidney dialysis,
he remained quite active in the daily lives of his family and his friends,
as well as the food pantry operation.
He was known for his
winter barbeques in the snow; his Friday pizza nights where you could
order your own concoction of individual pizza with Bob swirling the dough;
and his almost weekly, in season, huge family picnics where he welcomed
friends, first at his own compound where his children in later years had
homes next door and nearby, and later at his daughter Stacy’s compound,
made even larger by an adjacent parkway. He was a larger than life figure
in the lives of his family and friends, and knowing him felt like having
a piece of the rock.
Bob was a proud veteran
of the United States Marine Corps and a proud member of Local 101 Longshoremen.
At the age of 12, he had played the role of foreman of migrant workers
on farms his family contracted in his birthplace of Marion, Indiana. When
he came to Chicago, for a time, he co-owned Club 45 on East 92nd Street.
He drew heavily from all of these experiences to formulate the guidelines
for his life’s endeavors, both with his children and with the wider
community.
Father Jim Maloney,
his friend of four decades, officiated at Bob’s memorial service
and said that Bob was a person who gave light to the world. He said that
we who mourned him should continue Bob’s legacy of service.
Robert McNamara, the
principal of Our Lady of Guadalupe School, also a friend of four decades
– one who as a priest in the early seventies sometimes said mass
in the Jesus Christ Superstar fashion at Bob’s home – spoke
feelingly of Bob as the kind of friend who would drop everything to be
with you in your darkest hour.
Bob was a great supporter
of Substance, faithfully attending events such as the Second City fund-raisers,
and helping with newspaper distribution and election campaign work. He
also gave great personal support to many of us associated with the Substance
fight against the injustices in education. He was notably the great friend
of Larry and Toni Milkowski and Terry and Jim Daniels, dating back from
a time when the ethos of the sixties made it easier to believe in the
brotherhood of man and easier to live out the notion that friends could
be family.
Bob’s presence
truly enriched and touched the lives of all those who came into his far-reaching
path. Whether it be his smile, stubbornness, or generosity, he left his
imprint. As you always said, Bob, “We’ll see ya.”
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