Guillermo Ernesto "Ernie" Rodriguez

Guillermo Ernesto (Ernie) Rodriguez, 86, born March 10, 1938 in San Jose, Costa Rica and raised in the U.S. Canal Zone, Panama, passed away on May 3, 2024, in Solomons, MD. Ernie was known for his quiet demeanor, logical discernment, and commitment to a job well done. He graduated from Christobal High School in the Canal Zone, where his early interest in ROTC and varsity football were later eclipsed by ingenuity and academics. A graduate of Michigan Technological University with a degree in Electrical Engineering, he was also a founding member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity there. His early years in the Canal Zone and later at Michigan Tech resulted in many lifelong friends.

Ernie, affectionately known as Gualmo and Grumpy to close friends and family, began his career at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory in White Oak, MD in 1960, where he continued to work until 1962. During that time, he met Lora Lee Garton and they married in May 1962. In June 1962, he transferred to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD where he worked until his retirement in 1993. Ernie was the quintessential engineer, finding joy in the challenges of understanding, designing, and building things. Beginning with Model A hot rods on the streets of Gatun in high school, he later focused his attention on power systems for the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform satellites, which led to further applications in the Apollo, Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Hubbel Programs. His career was marked by his innovative designs and contributions to the field at a time when space exploration and supremacy were at the forefront of human curiosity and scientific advancement.

At heart, Ernie was also a sailor, spending many weekends and summer vacations with his family on the Chesapeake Bay, with occasional ventures offshore. In retirement, he and Lora Lee moved to Punta Gorda, FL, where they expanded their sailing adventures to the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas. When Lora Lee said she couldn't see the Grand Canyon by sailboat, they "land cruised" the US several times in a "Casita," as well as occasional travels abroad.

He is survived by his loving wife of almost 62 years, Lora Lee; his sister Vilma Barrett (Richard) of Merritt Island, FL; his sons Tony (Christine) of Macon, GA and Marc (Paige) of Huntingtown, MD; and six grandchildren, Joshua, Isa, Elise (Michael), Cecelia, Cal, and Evelyn. Ernie was preceded in death by his father Guillermo C. Rodriguez, mother Marita E. Tamayo Rodriguez, and sister Lucy Rodriguez Harrelson.

Ernie will be deeply missed by all who knew him. By example, he taught his sons to be self-sufficient, responsible, and dependable. His quiet, simple sense of humor was not only a quality that we all found amusing, but also admired. His legacy as a skilled engineer and a lover of the sea will live on in the hearts of his family and friends.

Interment private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.