Nicholas Rodriguez Sr., 80, of Jamestown, N.Y., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at WCA Hospital, surround-ed by his loving wife, chil-dren and grandchildren.
He was born in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 16, 1931, the son of the late Leonides and Margarita Torres Rodriguez.
Nicholas served in the U.S Army for two years. Upon discharge, he went back to Puerto Rico, where he married his wife. After marriage, he and his wife moved to Jamestown mak-ing them one of the first few Hispanic families to settle in the area.
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Shortly after arriving in Jamestown, Nick became a member of the Jamestown Police Reserves. He was also employed by Proto Tool Manufacturing Com-pany until they closed. He then worked at the BPU in Jamestown as a laborer un-til his retirement. During the early 1970s to 1980s, Nick hosted a Spanish hour at the WJTN radio station, and it was here that most people came to know, respect, and love him.
Nick was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great- grandfather, and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Besides the love he had for his wife and family, his interests in-cluded boxing, playing pool, collecting old cars, and traveling with his wife and close friends.
Nick was very proud of his heritage, and because of this he along with others became very instrumental in establishing the first Puerto Rican Social Club in Jamestown. He was a member of St. John Roman Catholic Church, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Lakewood Ron & Gun Club, a lifetime member of the Vietnam Veterans Asso-ciation and the AMVETS Post 726 of Jamestown.
Nick is survived by his wife of 55 years, Miriam Albizu Rodriguez, whom he married Oct. 27, 1956; five children: Nicholas (Ju-lie) Rodriguez Jr., Evelyn (Myles) Lyons, Arlene (Al-bert) Kennedy, and Edwin Rodriguez Sr., all of James-town, and Doris Schauman of Bemus Point; grandchil-dren include: Nichole and Dominick Rodriguez, Di-ane (Robert) Hedstrum of Sweden, Nicholas and Myles Lyons III, Jennifer and Lisa Kennedy, Edwin Rodriguez Jr., and Joshua and John Schauman. Great-grandchildren include Ka-telyn Lyons of Sweden, and Jeremiah Ingerson and Chelsae Lyons of James-town. He is also survived by his two sisters: Angela (Lee) Benedict of Oil City, Pa., and Margot Gowan of Jamestown.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Delia; and his brothers, Enrique "Chico" and William Rodriguez.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Sun-day, July 1 at the Migliore Funeral Home with funeral services Monday, July 2 at 10 a.m. at St. John Roman Catholic Church.
Memorials can be made to the American Heart As-sociation, the Cancer Research Institute, the American Diabetes Founda-tion, or to the Holy Apos-tles St. Vincent de Paul So-ciety.
