Ignacio was born in Guymas, Mexico just over 100 years ago. His parents were Albert and Antonia Rodriguez. Ignacio and two of his siblings, Peggy and Willie, were raised by an aunt. Ignacio made his way to California in the 1920's when he was a teenager. Work was a constant throughout his life, and one of his first jobs in the United States was delivering Western Union telegrams in Los Angeles. As a young man, he met Christina (Ortega) Jaramillo in Pasadena, CA. Christina and Ignacio married, and Ignacio became stepfather to her three sons by a previous marriage. Together they had 10 children of their own. They moved to the beautiful agricultural region of Ventura County where his many children were born and raised. Ignacio worked at a variety of jobs over the next 50 years: he was a ranch hand in Fillmore; he was a sheepherder in Saticoy: he would ride in trucks to northern California to pick grapes seasonally; he worked making cement pipe for sewers at the rate of 99 cents per hour; he packed lemons in Ventura; and in his late 60's, he worked with retarded children at Camarillo State Hospital. He brought candy to the children at the hospital and considered them "his kids" right along with his own many children. His work ethic continued through his life, despite an infirmity that left him with a prosthetic leg. He inspired his children with words like "fix it before it falls" referring to a door or window or anything that needed attention.
He loved to garden and would encourage others, mostly his children to "clean the little dead flowers because they want to be taken care of too." He felt no one was ever too old to learn. Ignacio had taught himself to read and write and learn English. He was also fascinated by history, whether American or Mexican history, and loved to be quizzed about the continents and capitals of countries and states. He was a "pull my finger" sort of father and grandfather, in other words fun to be with. One of his happiest memories was watching his great-granddaughter Mone wear an old cowboy hat and stand on a stereo singing a song for her Grandpa Nacho. Simple pleasures to be sure.
(Information provided by Cecelia (Rodriguez) Monen, daughter of Ignacio and Christina Rodriguez)
He loved to garden and would encourage others, mostly his children to "clean the little dead flowers because they want to be taken care of too." He felt no one was ever too old to learn. Ignacio had taught himself to read and write and learn English. He was also fascinated by history, whether American or Mexican history, and loved to be quizzed about the continents and capitals of countries and states. He was a "pull my finger" sort of father and grandfather, in other words fun to be with. One of his happiest memories was watching his great-granddaughter Mone wear an old cowboy hat and stand on a stereo singing a song for her Grandpa Nacho. Simple pleasures to be sure.
(Information provided by Cecelia (Rodriguez) Monen, daughter of Ignacio and Christina Rodriguez)
Ignacio was born in Guymas, Mexico just over 100 years ago. His parents were Albert and Antonia Rodriguez. Ignacio and two of his siblings, Peggy and Willie, were raised by an aunt. Ignacio made his way to California in the 1920's when he was a teenager. Work was a constant throughout his life, and one of his first jobs in the United States was delivering Western Union telegrams in Los Angeles. As a young man, he met Christina (Ortega) Jaramillo in Pasadena, CA. Christina and Ignacio married, and Ignacio became stepfather to her three sons by a previous marriage. Together they had 10 children of their own. They moved to the beautiful agricultural region of Ventura County where his many children were born and raised. Ignacio worked at a variety of jobs over the next 50 years: he was a ranch hand in Fillmore; he was a sheepherder in Saticoy: he would ride in trucks to northern California to pick grapes seasonally; he worked making cement pipe for sewers at the rate of 99 cents per hour; he packed lemons in Ventura; and in his late 60's, he worked with retarded children at Camarillo State Hospital. He brought candy to the children at the hospital and considered them "his kids" right along with his own many children. His work ethic continued through his life, despite an infirmity that left him with a prosthetic leg. He inspired his children with words like "fix it before it falls" referring to a door or window or anything that needed attention.
He loved to garden and would encourage others, mostly his children to "clean the little dead flowers because they want to be taken care of too." He felt no one was ever too old to learn. Ignacio had taught himself to read and write and learn English. He was also fascinated by history, whether American or Mexican history, and loved to be quizzed about the continents and capitals of countries and states. He was a "pull my finger" sort of father and grandfather, in other words fun to be with. One of his happiest memories was watching his great-granddaughter Mone wear an old cowboy hat and stand on a stereo singing a song for her Grandpa Nacho. Simple pleasures to be sure.
(Information provided by Cecelia (Rodriguez) Monen, daughter of Ignacio and Christina Rodriguez)
He loved to garden and would encourage others, mostly his children to "clean the little dead flowers because they want to be taken care of too." He felt no one was ever too old to learn. Ignacio had taught himself to read and write and learn English. He was also fascinated by history, whether American or Mexican history, and loved to be quizzed about the continents and capitals of countries and states. He was a "pull my finger" sort of father and grandfather, in other words fun to be with. One of his happiest memories was watching his great-granddaughter Mone wear an old cowboy hat and stand on a stereo singing a song for her Grandpa Nacho. Simple pleasures to be sure.
(Information provided by Cecelia (Rodriguez) Monen, daughter of Ignacio and Christina Rodriguez)
