Ramon Eduardo "Monci" Rodriguez

Ramon Eduardo “Monci” Rodriguez

March 23, 1961 – July 30, 2017

When Monci was born 56 years ago, the doctor told his mother, “Institutionalize him. He won’t live to ten and he’ll never walk or talk.” Monci was born with Down Syndrome, a chromosomal birth condition where there is a full or extra copy of chromosome 21. Ruby walked out of the hospital with Monci in her arms and he always lived with his family.

Monci attended High Hope and Farias Elementary in Laredo, Texas. He competed in Special Olympics, claiming the gold medal in the 10-yard dash even though he stopped partway to raise his arms in victory and ham it up in front of the crowd cheering in the stands.

After his parents died, Monci lived with his sister Irma and brother-in-law Chemo. He worked at Gateway Industries and took great pride in signing his check every week when he cashed it at the bank. He especially loved treating Irma to lunch at Sirloin Stockade on payday. He made many friends at Gateway Industries and especially loved Alfie—rarely a week passed without Monci mentioning him. Monci and Chemo shared a weekly ritual of grabbing snacks and a drink and watching “Las Gatitas de Porcel” on tv. Monci thought it was hilarious that it took Irma months to realize that this wasn’t a cartoon but a variety show featuring dancers in short-shorts.

When Chemo got sick, Monci would spend a week every month with his brother Adan and family, to give Chemo time to recover from his treatment and Irma some respite. After Chemo died, Monci and Irma moved to Austin and later to Leander, to be close to Irma’s daughters. Lauren, Jake, and Sam grew up watching Disney movies with their granduncle Monci and playing Loteria with him.

Monci is the heart of the family, always remembering every birthday and eagerly anticipating every holiday, especially Christmas (“muchos presents”) and his birthday, which became a family holiday celebrated every year with a party. It became a friendly competition among his family to be the one to find the old or obscure movie or album Monci had on his wish list. The all-time winner had to be his sister Estella, who found a VHS tape of “Audrey Rose,” Monci’s all-time favorite movie, at a random convenience store in Encinal.

He loved singing and dancing to Tejano music and oldies and had a collection of instruments and microphones to play and sing along with the songs. After a particularly boisterous solo jam including the tambourine, maracas, and accordion his brother Robert bought him, Monci was known to come out of his room saying, “Hijole, me avente.”

He had eclectic taste in movies and television shows with a large collection of horror, musicals, westerns, sitcoms, and educational shows (Electric Company being his favorite). He loved game shows, especially “The Price is Right,” and soap operas. He loved “nana clips” (banana splits) from Dairy Queen, flautas from La Mexicana, and hamburgers from Glass Kitchen. But he loved his family most of all.

Monci is preceded in death by his parents, Ramon Rodriguez and Ruby Johnson Rodriguez; sister Sofia, who died as an infant; and brother-in-law Anselmo “Chemo” Aguilar. He is survived by many family members and friends, but first among them are his sisters Irma Aguilar and Estella Rodriguez and his brothers and their wives Robert and Tina Rodriguez, and Adan and Ella Rodriguez. His nieces and nephews and their spouses include Diana and Victor Ramirez, Rosie and Michael Pratt, Melissa Grant, Robert (Bobby) Rodriguez, Brandon Rodriguez, Gerardo Jr. and Monica Alonzo, Angela and Salvador de Llano, Amy and David Barrett, and David Rodriguez. His grandnieces and grandnephews include Lauren Bryant, Jake and Sam Ramirez, Candice Perez, Reuben Gonzales, Cameron and Madison Grant, JT, Mario, Diego, and Vida Alonzo, Jada Williams, Sadie Mae Espeut, Kate de Llano, and Ruby, Sunny, Ari, Lincoln, and Joaquin Barrett.

The family will be celebrating Monci’s life at Fred Dickey Funeral & Cremation Services from 8:00am – 11:00am on Friday, August 18, 2017. Funeral procession will depart the funeral home at 11:10am to the Laredo City Cemetery.  A grave side service will officiate at 11:30am by Deacon Crispin Soto. Monci will be interred immediately thereafter with his mother at Laredo City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Monci’s name to Marbridge, a community that provides residential care to adults with intellectual disabilities, at 2310 Bliss Spillar Road, Manchaca, TX 78652.

Funeral arrangements are by Fred Dickey Funeral & Cremation Services, 1320 Trey Dr, Laredo, TX. 78041. (956)723-3611. You may leave condolences to the family online at www.freddickey.com