Maria Rodriguez, age 79 of Pembroke Pines, Florida passed away on Thursday, October 31, 2019. She was born in Coamo, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, November 1, 1939. 

She was the oldest of 8 children and moved to NYC when she was 18. This was in order to find work, but also to start on a new adventure, called life. 

It’s in NYC that she reconnected with Juan Rodríguez, whom she knew prior in Puerto Rico. On the day of that reunion, he insisted to friends that she would be his wife. Juan and Maria married July 14, 1962, fulfilling that prophecy.

Settling in the Bronx, they raised five children. 

(She made a point to have her babies born on her beloved home Island)

In the Bronx, her husband  pastored at “La Crusada”.

The family moved to Miami in 1978.

Their Faith traveled with them to South Florida, where they avidly participated in Church services and activities. 

Embraced was the Love and Fellowship that Church brought to their life.

She wanted to be a Police Officer in Puerto Rico, but her father wouldn’t allow it. But her fearlessness shined throughout her life. 

New adventures, embracing change, and her ambition was in her nature. 

She spent many years working at Mt Sinai Hospital on Miami Beach, in the USA Dept. Her work ethic was only matched by her compassion for the patients. Doctors, nurses, as well as the patients, loved her.

As the oldest of her siblings in Puerto Rico, she was like a mother to many of the younger ones. 

At home in NY and Florida, she was an awesome, caring mother.

Husband Juan always said he was the head of the household, but Maria was the neck!

No question who was in charge.

She was strict and firm. 

You would be smart to do what was expected of you. 

As the grandchildren started coming, she softened somewhat, as they could do nothing wrong.

At times, her household was chaos, but she was in her glory when all the grand-kids were over. The more the merrier.

She was also  “Ma’ to her daughters-in-law and son-in-law. 

Sometimes she would go to bat for them against her own sons and daughter!

Maria was preceded in death by her mother: Joaquina Torres; father: Diego Colon and grandson: Adriel Rodriguez.

She is survived by her children: Martin Bracero, Misae Graziano, Juan Rodriguez and his wife, Claudia, Ariel Rodriguez and his wife, Denisse and Adriel Rodriguez; grandchildren: Elijah Bracero, Bibiana Hasbani and her husband, Charles, David Mota, Misael Rodriguez, Ymisa Lehman and her husband, Stephen, Ariel Rodriguez Jr., Manuel Rodriguez, Austin Rodriguez, Angel Rodriguez and Samantha Rodriguez and great-grandchildren: Misael Rodriguez, Josiah Lehman, Judah Lehman and Alexiel Rose Rodriguez. 

Visitation and Services to be held at Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care, University Drive Chapel on Monday, November 4, 2019 from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Service will be on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 11:00 AM. Entombment at Vista Memorial Gardens, Miami Lakes, Florida at 1:30 PM.