Memorial to Honor and Remember La Verne Councilman Rodriguez

La Verne City Councilman Robert Rodriguez was the kind of person who could light up any room, make you feel at ease and bring a smile to any face.

He was one of a kind, said friends and loved ones.

“Words cannot convey what we have lost,” said Rodriguez’ niece, Nita Ulloa Pedroni, through an email message. “The sheer joy and love he exuded will be missed by his family.”

Rodriguez died July 6 in La Verne. The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports he died of respiratory failure. He was 83.

Funeral services will be held at the La Verne Church of the Brethren at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, according to city officials. A reception is scheduled following the service at the La Verne Community Center, 3680 D St. in La Verne. A private interment will be held for family only at the La Verne Cemetery.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the La Verne Veterans Memorial, care of City of La Verne, 3660 D Street, La Verne, CA 91750.

Rodriguez’ death stunned the community, said Jeannette A. Vagnozzi, assistant to the City Manager of the City of La Verne.

“He had (health) issues in the past, but he overcame them,” Vagnozzi told Patch during a brief phone conversation.

The councilman, known in the city as The Pride of La Verne, had served on the City Council for 31 years, longer than any of his fellow council members.

“Robert was a very civic-minded man of service,” said Pastor Susan Boyer of La Verne Church of the Brethren. “He had the ability to make everybody feel that they were very special.”

Boyer knew Rodriguez for 30 years. They once teamed to organize a volunteer work trip for high school students to repair a Mexican orphanage.

“I trusted him,” Boyer said. “He had a lot of wisdom. He had a joke and story for every occasion.”

He had a great sense of humor, she said.

“He would come in on Sundays and he had a pew he would always sit in in the back,” she said. “I would be in the middle of the service and he always waved at me until I would wave back.”

Rodriguez was a longtime resident of Hillcrest in La Verne, a continuing care retirement community that is home to about 400 residents. Hillcrest President and CEO Matthew Neeley described Rodriguez as the live wire among them.

“Whenever he entered the room, he was smiling,” Neeley said. “He never ate dinner alone. There were always people around him.”

Rodriguez served on Hillcrest’s board of directors from 1991 to 2001.

“He loved to garden,” Neeley said. “Most people don't know this, but he grew these great tomatoes and zucchini. He made zucchini bread. Actually, he made jalapeno zucchini bread.”

He was a beloved member of the community, Neeley said.

La Verne officials released the following statement and biography Monday in honor of the councilman:

La Verne City Council Member Robert Rodriguez, well known for his lifetime of service and joyful spirit, passed away on July 6, 2013.  He was 83 years old.

A lifelong La Verne resident, Robert graduated from Lincoln Elementary School (later renamed Roynon Elementary School), Bonita High School, and earned both his bachelor’s (’65) and master’s degree (’90) from the University of La Verne.

Robert’s lifetime of public service began in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953.  He served in the 2nd Infantry in the Korean Conflict.  He earned the Korea Conflict Medal with one Bronze Star, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Combat Infantry Medal.

In 1953 Robert became the first Mexican-American police officer hired by the Pomona Police Department. During his twenty-seven years of honorable service he worked patrol, gang detail, detective bureau, community liaison, and a variety of positions before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant.  He then joined the University of La Verne as Director of Administrative Services from 1983 to 1996.

In 1982, Robert was elected to the La Verne City Council.  His continuous thirty-one years of service earned him the distinction of the longest serving elected official in the City’s history.  Robert’s community service included past positions on the Board of Directors for David and Margaret Home for Girls and Le Roy Haynes Center, and the Board of Directors of Brethren Hillcrest Homes. He was the representative to the California League of Cities and California Joint Powers Insurance Authority.  More than anything, Robert wanted to ensure that the residents of La Verne were proud of the community and received quality services. He listened to the concerns of every resident who approached him and helped whenever possible.

“Robert loved this City and was honored to serve the City.  He often joked that he was the ‘self-proclaimed Pride of La Verne,’ but in reality it was very true,” said La Verne Mayor Don Kendrick.  “No one epitomized the ‘Pride of La Verne’ like Robert. We take great pride in his extraordinary example of selfless service, unwavering dedication, and good-natured spirit.”

Former Mayor Jon Blickenstaff, echoed similar sentiments. “It was my sincere pleasure to sit next to Robert at the dais for twenty-seven years and to witness first-hand his dedication to the community,” said Blickenstaff.  “It showed in every decision he made. He cared about this community and wanted to be part of upholding the traditions and making it the special place it is today.”

Robert is preceded in death by his parents, Eliseo and Concha Rodriguez, and two sisters, Betty and Alice.  He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Fran; their five children, Jeff, Roberta, Jennifer, Lisa, and Lynda; eight grandchildren; and siblings Genevieve, Jay, and Richard.