Rodolfo Saucedo Jr.

1948 - 2025

Rodolfo Saucedo Jr
10/10/1948 - 08/27/2025
A dedicated husband and father, Rodolfo "Rudy" Saucedo, Jr., 76, of Missouri City, Texas, passed away peacefully at his home on August 27, 2025. Rodolfo was born on October 10, 1948, in Laredo, Texas, to Rodolfo Saucedo and Olga Saldaña Saucedo. He lived in Missouri City, Texas, for the last twenty-two years, having previously resided in McAllen, Texas, and Groves, Texas, where he worked as a civil engineer. He began his rewarding career at Turner, Collie & Braden, advancing within the company until he was named Associate Vice President and assigned to head their office in Pharr, Texas. As part of his role in the Rio Grande Valley, Rodolfo was named Pharr's City Engineer. Before retirement, Rodolfo worked at Edminister, Hinshaw, Russ and Associates, Inc., as a manager in the company's Infrastructure Department. He graduated from Martin High School in 1966 and received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1972.

As a student at Martin High School, Rodolfo served as a member of the student council with his future wife, Rosa Elia Cruz. Despite being in similar social circles, the two did not meet until their senior year, when Rosa asked Rodolfo to the prom. They continued dating while attending separate colleges, staying in touch via handwritten letters. Rodolfo would frequently hitchhike from College Station to Houston to visit Rosa. The two were married in 1969 in Laredo, Texas. Rodolfo, hinting at a lifelong commitment to prioritizing family, paused his own education to help Rosa graduate, working as a Field Survey Technician at Houston Lighting and Power. The high school sweethearts would have celebrated their 56th anniversary this month.

While attending Texas A&M, Rodolfo served in the Corps of Cadets, joining as a "second-year freshman." He was a member of Company A-1. Rodolfo would share many great memories of his time at Texas A&M with his children in the years to come, enjoying both the physical and mental challenges of being in the Corps of Cadets, as well as the wild antics he and his fellow students would get up to on the weekends.

As Rodolfo's family grew, he threw himself into supporting his children's interests and activities. Rodolfo spent many years as a Cub Scout Pack Leader and Boy Scout Troop Committee Member, as well as serving as the Cookie Chairman for his daughters' Girl Scout troops. Through frequent camping trips (both as part of the Scouts and as a family), Rodolfo taught his children an appreciation of nature. Many of his children's friends remember Rodolfo as a kind and generous role model, providing guidance and support to the community. Rodolfo's philanthropic outreach was wide-reaching and abundant. Throughout various periods in his life, Rodolfo served as a volunteer member or leader in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Pharr Rotary Club (where he served as president), the Pharr Chamber of Commerce, the Texas A&M Hispanic Network, the Laredo Hometown Club, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Texas A&M's Associated General Contractors Society. Even after his retirement, Rodolfo continued to make donations and contributions to his alma mater and to various charitable organizations that caught his attention.
Rodolfo retired in 2011 and made the most of his newfound time by pursuing the hobbies and interests he loved. An avid reader, he especially enjoyed exploring new historical subjects and learning about faraway places. His deep love for his hometown kept him involved online in Laredo communities, where he shared his research and family's stories to help enrich the community's history. He also found joy in stamp collecting, genealogy (a hobby that inspired his children to learn more about different cultures through traveling), staying in touch with old friends and extended family, and most of all, spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Rodolfo helped ensure that his children formed a deep-seated moral compass, and he taught them to always do the right thing. He showed his children the importance of right versus wrong, of doing their best job, and leaving a place better than when they found it. Rodolfo was a frequent advisor and cheerleader for his children as they entered their professional lives. He always stepped up to assist his family (including his extended family) in whatever way they needed assistance, whether it was helping someone move, offering emotional support when making a decision, or simply welcoming family pets for short and long-term stays. Rodolfo loved animals from a young age, and, from the way his loyal canine companions followed him from room to room during his retirement, it was clear that animals loved him too.

Rodolfo is predeceased by his parents, Rodolfo Saucedo, Sr. and Olga Saldaña; his wife, Rosa Elia Saucedo; and his infant daughter, Sarah Anne. He is survived by his children, Amy Chestnutt (Duane), Mary Bierds (Ryan), and Robert Saucedo (Lucia); grandchildren Johnny, Lexi, and Ben; his siblings, Debbie and Cindy; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

A rosary service and visitation will be held at Earthman Southwest Funeral Home, located at 12555 S. Kirkwood Rd, Stafford, TX 77477, on Thursday, September 4, from 4 to 8 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, located at 1510 5th Street, Missouri City, TX, 77489. In lieu of flowers, Rodolfo's family encourages donations made in his name to the Alzheimer's Association or the Friends of Scouting.