Louis P Rodrigues

Obituary for Dr. Louis 'Lou' Phillip Rodrigues
Our beloved father, Doctor Louis 'Lou' Phillip Rodrigues, became one of God's
angels at 12:22 a.m., on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, at age 91, at Grand Strand
Regional Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, surrounded by his loving
family.
Dr. Rodrigues was born on January 8, 1934, in New York City, to his late beloved
parents, Joaquim Rodrigues and Mary Milgrim Rodrigues. He had fond memories
growing up on Thompson Street, in Greenwich
Village, New York. He spent quite a bit of his time reading in Libraries and taking
long bike rides upstate, Ny. Both of his parents were photographers and artists
where he too as well as his younger sister Brenda took a like to art, later on
painting beautiful, water colors, oil paintings and enamels. Both Dr. Louis
Rodrigues and his sister have so many beautiful paintings that fill the walls of their
homes.
He went through many years of medical schooling and training to become the
doctor that many knew him as, beginning with City College in New York City in
1951, where he ultimately received his Bachelor of Science in 1955. He graduated
with honors in Biology Phi Betta Kappa. When it came time to go to medical
school, Dr. Rodrigues was the one of the first ever recipients of the Salk
Scholarship, so named after the developer of the first polio vaccine, Dr. Jonas E.
Salk, and given to students who would "give more attention to health, not merely
disease." In the State University of New York New York, State Medical School, He
received his M.D. in 1959
While attending Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Louis Rodrigues worked
along with Dr. David Carver in the research and studies of the Rubella as well as the
development of the influenza type B vaccine with Dr. John Robbins. He was an
Assistant Professor Of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College from 1967 to 1970

At the age of 27, Dr. Rodrigues met the love of his life, his future wife, Carmen
Gloria Valentin de Gonzalez, when the two locked eyes in the cafeteria at Long
Island College Hospital, where they were going through medical school and nursing
school, respectively. In their first conversation, Carmen Gloria mistakenly assumed
he spoke Spanish...and the rest was history as the two began a life of adventure,
memories, and more than a little laughter.
Dr. Rodrigues served in the US Army as an Assistant Surgeon from 1961 to 1962 in
San Juan, Puerto Rico. His assignment was T.B. Chemoprophylaxis Research as
well as the Peace Corp Training Center from July 1962 to June 1963 with
Honorable Discharge.

Dr. and Mrs. Rodrigues opened a pediatric practice in 1970 and spent 55 beautiful
years together in the Catskill Mountains of Monticello, New York, where they
worked as partners and raised their children. Over the course of more than 40
years, the pair devoted their lives to helping others and providing specialty medical
services to over a thousand patients.
He worked as the School Physician in Sullivan County NewYork at the Benjamin
Cosor Elementary School, Fallsburgh,NY, Duggan School,White Lake, NY, Hebrew
Day School ,Kiamesha, NY and the Middle School, Monticello, NY in the 1970' s
through the 1980's
He was the Medical Director at the Delaware Valley Job Corps in Callicoon, NY
from 1979 to to 1991 where he dedicated himself with compassion for his patients
Dr. Rodrigues also served on multiple advisory boards and community committees
in Sullivan County, NY .over the course of his career, and continuously sought to
further the medical profession as a consultant and professor. One of his most
treasured roles was as Medical Director at the Center of Discovery in Sullivan
County, New York where he worked along with Mr.Patrick Dollard when they first
opened in 1979 helping children and young adults with complex developmental
conditions and disabilities, until he retired he truly enjoyed providing his services
there.
Throughout his life and career, Dr. Rodrigues saved many lives and provided
specialized care to countless children. His patients and community loved him like
their own father. When it came time to retire, Dr. Rodrigues didn't want to because
he just wanted to go on helping his patients live their best, healthiest lives.
Throughout the years, he made time for his children and grandchildren taking
them on small vacations spending quality time with them.
In God's perfect plan, Dr. and Mrs. Rodrigues came to Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, to visit their daughter in 2020, and made the decision to make their stay
at the coast permanent. The pair spent four beautiful years together at the beach,
enjoying many moments of sunshine and sea air with those they loved, until Mrs.
Rodrigues passed in 2024. In all the time since, no matter what else he had on his
mind, Carmen Gloria was never far from Dr. Rodrigues' thoughts-he loved her
always.
Dr. Rodrigues is survived by his son, Louis Joaqim Rodrigues, his daughter, Linda
Elizabeth Alonso Rodrigues, and her fiance, Dana Mercer, his daughter, Judith
'Judy' Marie Skordinski Rodrigues, his son-in-law, Joe Guarnaccia, sister, Brenda
Epstein Rodrigues, his grandchildren, Dom Luis Rodrigues, Autumn Chelsee
Rodrigues, Kyle Austin Skordinski, Lexi Marie Skordinski, Brian Forrest, and
Lorenzo Guarnaccia; his great-grandsons, Emilio Jay Rodrigues and Nicholas
Pesola and his nephew, Peter Epstein, his wife, Heather, and their two children,Elle
Kemp and Anzel Epstein

He leaves behind many devoted friends, former patients of Sullivan County, and a
large, loving extended family and community. It was truly so special to read all of
the beautiful comments from many of his patients, and friends before the obituary
was written on how our father touched so many lives and how kind, genuine and
humble he was. It was his honor, dedication and compassion to help you all.
Dad will be deeply missed and never forgotten by us all. Thank you from the
bottom of our hearts for allowing him to serve you.

Services will be held Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Burroughs Funeral Home at 3558
Old Kings Hwy., Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.

A family viewing will be held at 10 a.m., followed by a service at 11 a.m. Public
viewing will continue after the service until 2 p.m. The family will hold a private
burial at a later date.