Mauro Angel Rodriguez

Mauro Angel Marquina Rodriguez, known as Angel or Angelo to his friends and lovingly called Poppy or Dad by his children, passed away on March 12, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. He was 72 years old.

Born on August 6, 1953, in Honduras, Angel's story was one that took him across continents and cities. He called many places home throughout his life, from Honduras to Miami and finally to Chicago, but it was the streets of New York City where his soul truly lived. New York shaped him, and he wore that identity proudly until his final day. He was, without question, a New Yorker.

It was in New York where the man the world came to know truly came to life. He would glide through the city's streets with his friends, always sharp, always put together. His Hugo Boss suits and Brooks Brothers ensembles were a trademark of a man who believed that how you carry yourself says everything about who you are. And Angel carried himself the way he did everything, with style, intention, and not a single apology. He revealed things about himself only when he wanted to, and that mystery was as much a part of his presence as anything else. He was equally known for his generosity, never one to let a kind gesture go unrewarded. He always kept his wallet full of what he affectionately called his "crispys," crisp hundred dollar bills he parted with easily and often, because for Angel, taking care of people was never an afterthought. It was just who he was.

He was an entrepreneur at heart, building his career in real estate, and approaching business with the same boldness and charm he brought to every room he entered. And what happened when Angel entered a room? The whole room laughed. His humor was effortless, his generosity boundless, and his spirit infectious. He was fiercely loyal and had a heart that seemed too big to be contained in one man.

Angel was endlessly quotable, and he knew it. In that unmistakable accent his family and friends knew so well, even the simplest words became something worth remembering. He had a handful of lines he returned to often, delivered with such consistency and conviction that the people who loved him will hear his voice every single time they say them. When he agreed with you, truly agreed, you knew it. "That's right." When life got complicated and it was time to stop dwelling and move forward, he'd settle it simply. "It is what it is." When someone was telling him something he had no interest in hearing, he had no problem letting them know. "Spare me." He understood people deeply, the loyal ones and the ones who weren't, and he said it plainly. "They only know you when they need you." And if anyone ever offered him something he didn't ask for and didn't need, he'd straighten that out quickly. "Don't do me no favors." And if anyone tried to volunteer him for something he never agreed to, or take credit where it wasn't due, he had a way of setting the record straight that only he could pull off. "We is too many people." Words delivered with a smile, a look, or a raised brow, but always earnest.

He loved the finer things, a perfectly cooked steak, a good glass of merlot, and an evening out at a restaurant that matched his standards. He was a devoted fan of the movies, particularly the work of Martin Scorsese. Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed he watched them all with reverence. Angel had the kind of humor that could find wisdom in the darkest places, and nothing captured that better than a line from The Departed he came back to often. It wasn't morbid to him, it was practical: "How's your mother? She's on her way out. We all are, act accordingly." Angel acted accordingly. He lived fully, loved fiercely, and never wasted a moment.

Angel had an ear for the greats, and he loved them without apology, the kind of man who could go from the Beatles to Andrea Bocelli to Frank Sinatra and never see a contradiction in that. He treasured his Beatles cassette collection, every album, every track. He adored the transcendent voice of Andrea Bocelli. But it was Frank Sinatra who held a permanent place in his heart, and for good reason. Two of the most profound moments of his life were lived inside Sinatra songs. He danced with his daughter at her wedding to The Way You Look Tonight, and when he earned his American citizenship, My Way played as the soundtrack to everything he had worked for. It was the perfect song for a man who never did anything anyone else's way. And as for New York, New York, well, he made it there, didn't he? Which meant he could make it anywhere. And he did.

His greatest joy, above all else, was his children. No distance was ever too far and he would travel wherever they were, just to be near them. They were his proudest achievement and his greatest adventure.

Mauro Angel Marquina Rodriguez is survived by his three beloved children: Zelli Marquina, Angelique Marquina, and Krystian Marquina.

"That's right, Poppy. That's right."