Alexander Rodriguez Sr.

Alexander (Al) Rodriguez Sr., 95, passed peacefully in his sleep on March 7, 2026. He was a simple
man with a simple life story. Al was born on Christmas Eve in 1930 with his twin Salvador, to
immigrant parents. His mother, Josefina, passed away during their birth, leaving Alexander to be
raised by his father, Rejino, along with his other siblings, Edward, Alvaro, Teresa, and half-sister
Adele in Los Angeles, California. Al worked at a young age to support the family by delivering La
Opinion, the Hispanic newspaper. In 1949, he graduated from Roosevelt High School, shortly
after he met Mary Louise Terrazas, his soon-to-be wife. In 1950 he enlisted in the Korean War
where he was honorably discharged three years later in 1953. Within those three years, Mary
Louise and Al continued an exchange of letters keeping each other “in the know” of life abroad
and life back at home in the states, but more importantly, expressing their love and devotion to
one another.
After being discharged and returning home, Al and Mary Lou married in 1954. Al began his career
as a foundry molder at the Bell Foundry in South Gate. They had their first two children, a son
Alexander, Jr., in 1956, and a daughter, Louise, in 1959. Not long after Louise was born, Al moved
his family to Compton in 1960. Shortly thereafter, Al started working at the Ellis & Van’s Foundry
in Gardena, where he became a foreman and stayed for over 35 years, making airplane parts for
the government. He and Mary Lou welcomed two more sons, Vincent in 1965, and Arthur in
1967. Al became very prideful of his new city and over the years provided a well-disciplined family
life for their four children. Together, him and Mary Lou worked together to send each of their
children to Catholic school for 12 years. They were married for over 66 years and lived in their
house in Compton for over 65 years.
Al was proud to see his four children grow up and have families of their own. He watched his six
grandchildren grow up and never failed to ask each one of them how life was treating them or
give them words of wisdom and advice, plus five dollars to help fill their gas tanks. Even more so,
he was able to see and visit with his three great-grandchildren, watching them crawl and get
around during his final years. Al is remembered as a loving and dedicated son, brother, uncle,
husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Alexander is survived by his sons Alexander, Jr., Vincent, and Arthur, his daughter Louise,
grandchildren Bonnie, Laura, Rebecca, Erika, Stefanie, and Andrew, as well as his three great-
grandchildren Samuel, Ellie, and Tessa, daughters-in-law, nieces and nephews. Al was preceded
in death by Mary Louise, his loving wife, and siblings Adele, Edward, Alvaro, Teresa, and Salvador.
May he rest in peace.