Shirley Rodriguez, person of the world We are heartbroken to announce the death of Shirley Rodriguez, who sadly passed away on February 20, 2025 at the age of 89. She was born on October 11, 1935 to parents Violet and Elmer Meyers in Muskegon, Michigan. Shirley was an artist and she brought art to everything she touched. Through her many talents, she shared a bit of the light inside of her that we all loved and cherished. One such talent was her ability to tell a story. Told at holidays, around the dinner table or at the kitchen counter as she prepared delicious meals, her stories offered family and friends delightful glimpses into her rich, creative, and life-changing experiences. Through these experiences, she shared herself and her secrets to a happy and fulfilling life. The oldest of three children, she told of how she grew up in a small one-room house in a Midwest rural community. She expressed her deep regard for her parents’ resilience, positivity, and grit in the face of humble beginnings during the Great Depression, but also for their loving encouragement and commitment to the happiness and success of their children. Her family made great sacrifices to support her innate musical talent so that she could transform it into a lifelong passion. Shirley could play the accordion and sing, but she chose to focus her talent on the accordion. When Shirley earned admission into Trossingen Conservatory of Music in Germany, she fondly recalled how her mother painstakingly designed her a whole new wardrobe in the latest fashions, each stitch hand-sewn with incredible attention to detail and love. They were of such high-quality that Shirley felt embarrassed to wear them in front of the proverbial starving students. In Germany, she met Louis Rodriguez, who Shirley would later describe as a shy and talented fellow accordion player from Chile. Kindred spirits from the start, the two bonded over their love of music and movies until life took them in different directions. Shirley set off to explore Italy before returning home with a contract to tour the United States of America performing German folk music. On her tours she faced cougars, got lost in snow storms, and charmed her way through dangerous, uncomfortable, and hilarious situations. In her spare time, she dedicated herself to learning Russian fluently with hopes of traveling there to learn from the Russian accordion masters. Due to the Cold War, the State Department advised against her plans, but she stubbornly persisted. While she wasn't permitted to stay and learn in their institutions, she managed to gain access to the Academy of Arts of the Soviet Union, where government-assigned escorts provided her an official tour! She would say that persistence and passion were the key to success. When she returned home to her parents, she told them that she felt not like a woman, nor a man – but as a person of the world. Years after leaving Louis in Germany, she would tell how she sent him a letter to “brag” about her musical success. At the same time, he sent her one, professing his undying affection. The two letters literally crossed each other in the skies, she would say. Shirley made the decision to fly, “sight unseen,” to Chile to reunite with the love of her life. The two married and settled in Santiago, Chile where Shirley learned to cook some of Louis’s favorite foods, like empanadas and lemon cake, and learned yet another language: Spanish. But the best part was that the two musicians were free to immerse themselves in the art scene of the creative community of Santiago. They gained friendships with artisans of all kinds and opened their own music school. Just before the Chilean Coup D'état, they fled the country and settled in San Jose, CA in 1971. There, they started a family. She undertook parenting the same way she undertook music: with passion and joy. She often spoke of how she considered herself truly fortunate for the opportunity to put everything in her life aside to raise her three sons on her homegrown vegetables and homemade breads. Their adventures included camping trips where they faced wild bears and backpacking in Alaska. Both Louis and Shirley gave up music to support their family. Her husband played on a different kind of keyboard working at IBM, and Shirley waited until all the boys were in school before venturing back into the working world. She used her superb language skills to join the international sales team of Novelle, where she got to travel all around the world selling software technology. At this time, she and Louis satisfied their creative leanings through ballroom dancing, where they became champions in the foxtrot. She finished her career working for the City of San Jose in the City Planning Department before retiring. Shirley would say that it’s never too late to completely reinvent yourself. Shirley’s stories often highlighted her naivete as she faced the larger world from her humble origins. Humorous misadventures of perceived and real danger always ended on a positive note that elevated the mood of the room. Her experiences taught her to rely on the kindness of people and to therefore be kind. She learned about perseverance, positivity, and intuition. She shared how to rely on divine timing. She listened to and comforted others with compassion and empathy. Her advice was given with deep respect, never losing sight of the other person’s dignity. Although she experienced dark times, she chose to reside in the light. She said that happiness was fleeting, but that contentment could last forever. She had a lasting impact on everyone she crossed paths with, from all of her worldly travels to each of her family members; she carried them with her too, retelling their stories, often helped along with keepsakes and photographs, to pay their life-meaning forward. Shirley loved retirement and used those years to return to her creative spirit. She began painting, joined a singing choral, and designed and developed a garden haven in her backyard. In her capable hands, a simple green salad became a culinary delight; a cup of warm milk the greatest gift, an afternoon in her garden a peaceful escape, and a shared story a learning experience. Shirley’s own inner beauty radiated from her and added sparkle to everything around her. We who knew her got to bask in the light from within her – through her paintings, her food, her garden, her music, her singing, and most of all her stories. She leaves behind her husband, Louis, her sons, Alan and Derek, her brother Ted, and 7 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister Barbara Volz, and her son, Marlow. Please join us to celebrate her life at 1050 S Bascom Ave, San Jose CA from 11 am to 3 pm on April 26.
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