Lydia D. Rodriguez went to be with the Lord on February 7, 2022.

Lydia was born in San Antonio, TX on July 26, 1952 into a hard-working, loving family. Her father, Richard DeLeon, served in the U.S. Air Force and moved the family several times before settling in San Antonio.

Upon graduating high school, Lydia was awarded the El Patronato Scholarship to attend the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. It was a notable period in her life where she formed new friendships, discovered the world of Latin American literature, and witnessed the massive protests of 1971. Lydia’s affection and love of her Mexican heritage remained a stronghold throughout her life.

After a holiday break from university, Lydia returned to San Antonio and met her soon-to-be husband, Gene Rodriguez. Her plan to pursue media broadcasting in Mexico shifted focus to motherhood and a burgeoning career at Southwestern Bell Corporation. Her final stint at the company was as a Sales Executive in New York City. After an early retirement in 2001, she devoted more of her time to real estate, which she had worked on a part-time basis since the 1980s. She flourished in her role as a broker, offering her trusted advice to employees, agents, and clients. Nothing made Lydia happier than finding a family a home better than they could have wished for. She genuinely enjoyed helping first-time homebuyers and people with challenging circumstances be approved for a house they thought impossible to buy.

Lydia found joy in everyday life. She delighted in going to church, traveling, and hosting friends and family with whom she shared her generous cooking and baking skills. From dulce de leche crepes to dense, playful lavender cakes, every recipe she crafted was a confectionery delight. Each cake, crepe and cookie batch was a decadent, creative feat that she poured her heart into.

Lydia’s other great love was music. Artists ranging from Janis Joplin, the Stones, John Coltrane to Vicente Fernández formed her life’s soundtrack. When a favorite song would play, she would lose herself in the pleasure of singing along as if she were part of the band. Some of her favorite anthems to sing along to were the Pointer Sisters’ “Jump” and Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful.” She appreciated any song that conveyed a deeper meaning; she thought the song “Smiling Faces Sometimes” held timeless wisdom.

Lydia's presence brought warmth and joy. She was a loyal confidante to whom her daughter and loved ones could talk about anything. She was over-the-moon happy whenever something good happened to someone else. She is remembered for being as true and kind as they come.

Not long after Lydia transitioned to her heavenly home, her daughter Gina spent a day near the Pacific Ocean, as she had done many times with her mother. As she listened to the song “Spirit in the Sky,” her heart was captured by the first line: When I die and they lay me to rest / Gonna go to the place that’s the best. It brought Gina comfort to know that Lydia was experiencing new life as a follower in Jesus Christ. She had made it home, just as she had imagined one day it would come to be.

Gina is survived by her husband, Gene A. Rodriguez, her mother, Lucia DeLeon, and her siblings Laura, Cathy, and Richard. She is preceded in death by her father, Richard DeLeon and other loved ones who have gone on before her.

Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. - Khalil Gibran

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