RODRIQUEZ, Mary Antonia

Mary Antonia Sweeney Rodriquez died May 13. She was born in Glenwood Springs on Sept. 15, 1925, to Antonio Sweeney and Edubijan Cordero. She attended school in Glenwood Springs and married George C. Rodriquez in April of 1940. They were married for 60 years. From this union came six children, Catherine, Robert, Patricia, Carmel, Genevieve and Thomas. The couple, along with their newborn daughter, moved to Leadville in 1941, where they lived for 52 years. According to her family, Mary Rodriquez was a loving and loyal wife and mother always dedicated to her family. She loved to crochet, and was known for her beautiful doilies and crochet. She made most of the clothes that her daughters wore. She felt rich when her husband bought her an electric sewing machine; there was no stopping her then, according to the family. Rodriquez was also said to be a fantastic cook, and anyone who came to her home was treated to a great meal and her warm hospitality. She loved to play baseball and shared the love of the game with her family, especially her grandsons. She liked to watch the Rockies, the Avalanche and the Broncos and could be very vocal when they were losing. Rodriquez worked as a cook and later as a housekeeper at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Leadville. In later years the couple moved to the Fort Collins /Loveland area. She lived independently in her own home in Fort Collins. After the passing of her beloved husband, Rodriquez, at the age of 74, went back to work as a housekeeper at Mercer Commons Assisted Living in Ft. Collins for six years. She reluctantly retired in 2006. Rodriquez was a member of Annunciation Catholic Church in Leadville for 52 years and most recently at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loveland. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband George C. Rodriquez; sons Carmel and Robert Rodriquez; daughter Catherine Tafoya Vigil; grandsons Troy Rodriquez and Wayne Rodriquez; four brothers, Harry, John, Joe and Rudy Sweeney. She is survived by her daughters Patricia (Doug Champeney) Laky of Loveland and Genevieve (Bob) Trujillo of Tucson, Ariz.; son, Thomas (Kim) Rodriquez of Leadville and daughter-in-law Mary Jane Rodriquez of Leadville; grandchildren Terry and Tim Tafoya, Travis Vigil, Robert (David) Rodriquez, Dwayne Laky, Tina Laky Ardrey, Amanda Sorrell, Nolan Sorrell, T.J., Matthew and Lance Rodriquez; 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Her family said she will be deeply missed, especially by her children and grandchildren who were fortunate enough to have her in their lives for all of these years. Arrangements were handled through Alnutt Mortuary, and a rosary was recited on May 18 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, both in Loveland. 2012