Orlando Rodriguez

Orlando Abelardo Rodriguez, age 78, was embraced in the arms of his Savior on June 11, 2022. Born on March 26, 1944, in Mexico City, Mexico, he was the firstborn and only son of Abelardo F. Rodriguez and Raquel G. Rodriguez. He lived in Mexico City up until age 14, as his father worked for Pan American Airlines.

As a teenager, he attended the Presbyterian Pan American School in Kingsville, Texas. While there, he began to sing in school opera productions as a tenor. This would lead to a lifelong passion for opera including Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro, and South Pacific, among others. Upon graduation from high school, Orlando joined the United States Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War, earning the rank of sergeant. After serving, he moved to Miami, Florida, where he studied to become a laboratory technician. He then went to work for Palm Springs General Hospital in Hialeah, where he would meet his first wife, LuAnne Tucker. They married in 1976 and had two daughters, Mara and Anna. Orlando became a widower in 1981.

In 2001, Orlando made a cross-country move to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where his daughter, Anna, had moved. It was there that he worked for Focus on the Family Christian ministry, where he met and married Jean Huffman. When he married, he added to his family two daughters and one son. They both shared much love, laughter, and happy times together during their marriage of almost 20 years. The couple enjoyed camping, spending time with their children and grandchildren, and participating in church activities. Orlando always enjoyed singing in the church choir. In addition, he enjoyed encouraging men in recovery at the Springs Rescue Mission. He was a lifetime member of the Marine Corps League in which he loved being part of the parades and various functions. Among his favorite other hobbies were woodworking and calligraphy.

In 2015, the couple decided to move to Illinois to be with Jean’s parents for their twilight years. Shortly thereafter, when Orlando’s health declined, the Veterans Administration intervened to provide outstanding memory and other medical care for him at the Honor House in Danville, Illinois.

Orlando will be sorely missed by his wife, Jean, and all of his cherished family and friends. Along with his wife, he is survived by his daughter Mara (Michael) Anglen, daughter Anna (Alan) Shelton, daughter Heather (Thomas) Naughton, daughter Andrea (Trea) Adkins, and son Keith (Jessica Bownlee) Triplett; grandchildren Luke Klasfeld, Raquel Montalvo, Hope Palmer, Samuel Anglen, Jesse Anglen, Jacqueline Bradshaw, Belle Bradshaw, Joseph Britt, Anastasia Adkins, and Kayden Adkins, as well as a great-grandson, Nikolai Andres Montalvo. In addition, he is survived by his three sisters, Christina (Robert) Trubiano, Raquel R. Houston and Virginia Beck, of Palm Bay as well as many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 4:00 PM on Monday, June 20, 2022 at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Danville, Illinois, 3940 N Vermilion St. Danville, Illinois 61834. Visitation will be held from 2-4:00 PM on Monday, June 20, 2022 at the funeral home. On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, committal rites will be held at Camp Butler National Cemetery at 2:00 PM in Springfield, IL with Military Rites accorded by the Sangamon County Inter-Veterans Burial Detail.  

Memorials can be made in his name to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.

Please join Orlando’s family in sharing photos, videos and memories of him through his tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com

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