Ismael

Rodriguez

Ismael (Izzy) Rodriguez, born in San Angelo , Texas on August 4th 1942 to Ismael and Concepcion Rodriguez. He was the third-born child, following Bernice, Paula, and before Ella and Adrian. When Izzy was four years old, the Rodriguez family moved to San Jose.

Izzy graduated from San Jose High School and enlisted into the Marines from 6/1/60-1/9/68. Graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Political Science. He completed his Master's at Cal State Hayward with an emphasis in Business Administration.

He was married to Jane Churchill, and they had two children: Victor and Margarita Rodriguez.

He worked at the Employment Office in San Jose and moved on to become an Ombudsman Officer. He then worked in Newark as Assistant City Manager and the with that experience was offered City Manager of Orange Cove from 1980-1983, left for Clear Lake to become its City Manager.
He came back to San Jose and worked for the Redevelopment Agency.

He remarried Cora Estrada in 2009. Finally, Izzy retired as Director of Economic Development in the City of Soledad. He had a passion for challenging the status quo and its inequities to provide opportunities for all.

In his spare time, he enjoyed good food, coffee, wine, and beer. He also enjoyed an active lifestyle filled with camping, river rafting, traveling to the Philippines and Wine Country.

Izzy is survived by his wife Cora, her children, grandchildren, sister Ella, and Izzy's children.

His age upon death, 83.