Louis Rodriguez Service

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Louis Rodriguez Memorial Service

April 1, 2013

1:30PM

On the part of my family and the family of Primera Iglesia Bautista of Keller

we reach out to you with condolences. One of my greatest joy has been to

get know the immediate Rodriguez Family-wife Yolanda, and the children-

Louis, Ruth and Diana. You are a devoted and bonded family and our prayers

are with you in this difficult time. I also like to say that I admire your love for

God and your desire to further the kingdom.

To the extended family and to the family of faith you too have a sense of

loss as Louis touched your lives as well.

It was my pleasure to have known Louis and to have participated in some of

the milestones of his life like the celebration of his 90th birthday. I visited

Louis in his house many times and I was always surprised by his booming

voice even when he was ill.

There are many times that I have thought that with his rich, well modulated

voice and his good looks he could have chosen as young man to be a TV

anchor.

But for love of country, he chose to be a career soldier and for love of family

he chose to be a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

Louis participated in the D-day invasion on Omaha Beach where air support

failed resulting in many casualties; he was part of the Battle of the Bulge and

was involved in the Vietnam conflict. For his valiant service, he received two

Purple Hearts. I once asked Yolanda what he thought of the movie-Saving

Private Ryan and she said that he thought it was very realistic.

Louis was part of what Tom Brokaw said in his book The Greatest

Generation. This was a generation that according to Brokaw was interestedin making a difference rather than just making a buck.

After the war, the Greatest Generation came back and built bridges, roads,

worked in factories, in steel mills, they built skyscrapers and later even sent

a man to the moon.


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I would also like to think of the Greatest Generation as the non disposable

generation. It was many years before they knew what disposable items were.

Today, we dispose of a lot of things including electronics. It was a while

before the Greatest Generation knew what disposable items like napkins,

plates, knives and forks were. And yes, they did not use disposable diapers

on their Baby Boomer children.

I call it the Non Disposable generation because this generation did not throw

away things. They fixed them. This is true in regards to relationships. They

didnt believe in disposing of their families- they believed in loyalty and

loving relationships. That is why Louis and Yolanda stayed married for 56

years.

Let me read a quote from Brokaws book The Greatest Generation:

The WWII generation shares so many common values: duty, honor, country,personal responsibility and the marriage vow " For better or for worse--it was

the last generation in which, broadly speaking, marriage was a commitment

and divorce was not an option

I would like to share a conversation I had with Louis one time about how I

had gone back to grad school to study counseling. I told him that I was doing

an internship and that I needed clients to work with. He quickly volunteered

himself and told me that I could practice on him. I never got that opportunity

but Im sure that it would have been an interesting experience.

I chose the reading ofPsalm 23 because it was the Psalm that Louis recited

as mortar was exploding and bullets were flying over his head on that fateful

day on the D Day on the beaches off the coast of France. He knew that

passage but it was later in life that he would know the Shepherd. King David

said in that Psalm the Lord is my shepherd. Louis came to know the Lord

late in life but not before it was too late. And for that we claim the promise of

Gods Word inJohn 6:37- he who comes to me I will in not cast away.

Louis could have been killed on the beaches of France or in the jungles of

Vietnam, but God in his Providence allowed him to live long enough to sayyes to Christ and invite him into his heart. I have seen people be bitter and

angry as they are passing away, but Louis died a peaceful death early

Thursday morning surrounded by the family who loved him.

Also, in vs.4- King David states- Even though I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death, for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort

me.


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A minister by the name of Donald Grey Barnhouse experienced the death of

his wife. Even though he was an author, theologian and pastor he couldnt

find the words to explain death to his small child. As they were driving home

without the mom- a tractor-trailer passed by and as it passed it created a

shadow. For him it was teachable moment to teach his child about the fact

that death is powerless- it is like a shadow that cannot hurt us. This is true

because in Christ there is hope beyond the grave.

This was true with Louis even though his illness was a painful experience-

the actual passing away was not.

I would like to say to family that this Psalm is also for you as the Heavenly

Shepherd guides you through your moments of sorrow. This Psalm is for you,

Yolanda as you begin your journey without Louis. I would like to remind you

that you are not alone in this journey.

First, you have the Shepherd. The Shepherd kept watch over his flock 24

hours a day. When we come to know the Lord we are promised that he will

never leave us or forsake us. In the days to come you will have triggers- this

will be thoughts that trigger sorrow- it could be a picture that you see, it

could be mail that you receive that has his name or a movie or a song that

you see that he liked. Those kinds of triggers initiate sorrow.

But the greatest sorrow comes when all the family leaves. There is a sense of

security when you are in the company of others but when they all go back to

their homes you are faced with a sense of aloneness.

I want you know Hermana Yolanda- the Lord will be your companion and

your children will be there for you and your family of faith- Iglesia Bautista

Central under the leadership of Pastor Hector Mendez and also Primera of

Keller we wont forget about you.

Now comes one of the hardest things we have to do and that is to say

goodbye. And yet as believers we dont really say goodbye to a career

soldier, father, grandfather, brother in Christ- we just say goodbye until we

meet again.


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Louis Rodriguez Service

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