Mrs. Maria M. Rodriguez Obituary: "Lady from the Prairie"

9.22.2020, by Rudi R. Rodriguez

Maria M. Rodriguez passed away on Sunday, September 20, 2020, at the age of 98. She was preceded in death by her parents Ascencion "Chon" and Teresita Muniz, 2 brothers, Mario and Pete and sister Guadalupe and her husband of 70 years Ted Rodriguez and younger son Albert Rodriguez. She is survived by her sons Rudi and Oscar Rodriguez, and grandsons: Jason, Teddy and Zachary Rodriguez, Great-grandsons: Roman, Deacon and Tobias Rodriguez.

Maria was born on March 25, 1922 at her father's ranch, Rancho Colorado, Medina County, just west of D'hanis, Texas. She was brought into this world by a rural mid-wife, as this was part of the era she was born in. Her childhood years were spent growing-up on the ranch with extended family. Both her paternal and maternal grandparents lived on the ranch and she was quite close to them. Her childhood friends were brothers and her many cousins that also lived there. Their common experiences were hunting in the woods, riding her fathers' old mare and participating in the many religious, family and social observances at the farm.

As a teenager she was sent to school at the nearby D'hanis School and had mixed experiences as there was still segregation at school and racism. Nevertheless, she and her older brother and sister rode the bus and horse to school. Maria's mother became ill due to a miscarriage and was made responsible for taking care of her and the rest of her siblings. This ended any further attempts at schooling. Yet, she was able to continue a social and cultural experience that led her to become queen of the "Feria de las Flores" event in her community.

Then, as World War II began and many young men began to enlist, her boyhood sweetheart proposed to her before he had to leave, they were only eighteen years old when they eloped. Ted Rodriguez enlisted in the US Army, became a Staff Sargent in the famous 36 ^th Texas Infantry Division and spent the next five years in the African, Italian and European Theater of action. He miraculously survived and returned to his beloved wife Maria.

Upon his return, they spent six months at her father's ranch and then left for their future in San Antonio, Texas. In 1946, they had their first son Oscar and lived on the city's near west downtown. Four years later, their second son, Rudi, was born and they had purchased a small home with a VA loan on the city's west side. Ted was then working in the grocery business as he had quartermaster training in the service. In 1955, their third and final son, Albert, was born and they were now living on the far west side near Lackland Air Force Base. They started a store that Maria began to manage as Ted was still working for others. Ultimately, the store gave way to a conversion of apartments and the creation of the "El Salvador Apartments".

In the 1960's, Maria's role became one of management and maintenance operations. While she rented apartments to many a young Airforce couples, she also nurtured them. All of them came from all the states in the U.S. and were just starting out. Also, this period brought many couples from the Mid-East and Central and South America. Being bi-lingual, she was able to communicate with most of them. Once they left, there was constant communication with their adopted city and mother. Not too long ago a woman from Tennessee who had lived at the apartments with her husband in 1964, called to say thanks for the warm attentions and graciousness Maria had exhibited to them so many years early. She also engendered, second generation friendships that occurred with many people from Central and South America.

Maria became one of those unsung private ambassadors for our community and our country as young men and women from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala came to live at the apartments. They all called her Mrs. Rodriguez or "Lady".  After twenty years of ownership and her operational management they sold the units. The apartments became one of their most successful investments of labor and financial capital.

After this, she yearned to live in the country and they found and bought a small place in the hill country near Pipe Creek, Texas. The residence was a beautiful historic lime-stone house on a bluff with a river that ran through the middle of the property. There, she nourished her love of flowers, plants and trees. Although Ted began a wonderful business that flourished, prospered and is now in the hands of their son Rudi, for both of them, the home they called the "Summer House" became the center of their universe.

Maria was a dedicated and loving wife, mother and grandmother that was loved by all who knew her.

MEMORIAL SERVICES

A memorial service will be held on Saturday the 3 ^rd of October from 10:00am to 11:00am at the Angelus Funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the CTRC, 7979 Wurzbach Rd., SA, 78229