Jesse Rodriguez

Jesse Rodriguez was called by the Lord on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at Sentara Windermere Nursing Home in Virginia Beach, VA. He was born in San Antonio, Texas to the late Rumaldo and Rita Rodriguez. Jesse was extremely proud of his 17 years active and reserve Naval service, which began as a plank owner of the USS Yorktown CV-10, serving in the Pacific theater throughout WW-II. He met his loving wife June Ellen Gowdy while at Great Lakes Boot Camp, and they married on August 24, 1944. Ever loving for 75 years, June was at his bedside when he passed.

Following his service, Jesse spent a career with the Chicago Transit Authority, starting as a streetcar operator, working his way through bus driver, supervisor, station superintendent, instructor, charter sales manager and superintendent of employment and placement. He was a proud member of C.T.A. Amalgamated Unions (Locals 241 & 308). Jesse loved Chicago! He raised his family in a house in Calumet Park, built in 1956, which was the only home they ever owned. He was a staunch supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and prayed to St. Jude often. The family were steadfast members of St. Isidore Church in Blue Island, Il. Every summer holiday and most weekends were celebrated with a BBQ and picnic. The picnics quickly turned into mini reunions with family, coworkers, neighbors, shipmates and anyone else who could attend. Deteriorating health forced a move to Virginia Beach in 2013 where they resided with their son Glenn until further deterioration in health forced another move to Sentara Nursing Windermere. The Family is ever grateful to the numerous caregivers, CNA's, nurses and other health care professionals who tended to Jesse while in Virginia Beach.

In addition to his wife June, Jesse is survived by brothers Rueben, Ray and Roland Rodriguez, and sisters Rosie Gloria, Olivia Cockrell, and Mary Weiland, children Daniel Rodriguez of Kenosha, WI, Glenn Rodriguez and wife Jean of Virginia Beach, VA, Kathleen Greene of New Lenox, Il, 13 grandchildren, and 27 great grandchildren. Especially dear to Jesse were John Rodriguez and John Oliphant, along with many other beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and shipmates from the USS Yorktown (CV-10).

The family will receive friends at Kurtz Memorial Chapel, New Lenox on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 from 3 – 8pm. Funeral Service Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 10:00am in the funeral home chapel. Interment with full military honors at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Il. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to National Shrine of St. Jude (shrineofstjude.org/the-shrine) or the USS Yorktown (CV-10) Association (www.ussyorktown.org) in his name. www.kurtzmemorialchapel.com or 815-485-3700 for info.