Ned Rodriguez

“Love the Dodgers, hate the Giants” — the first phrase Edmund “Ned” Rodriguez tried to teach each of his three children.  This devoted Dodger fan was born on May 11, 1938, in Van Nuys, California to Dora Marie Mendias and Cipriano “Chapano” Morales Rodriguez. Ned passed away on June 14, 2019, due to respiratory complications and pneumonia, leaving behind his wife, Emily, three adult children, Dave, Deb and Terri-Anne, and ten grandkids.

Ned was a retired sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a career he’d wanted to pursue since high school, and in which he was proud to serve.  Ned once complained to a high school teacher about being stopped and searched by police for no reason.  The advice he received:  Do something about it.  So he did.  He joined the department and performed his duties with integrity, compassion and humor.  In 1978, he was shot by an assailant with a shotgun while answering a domestic disturbance call.  His family and the entire community was fortunate that he survived, and he returned to the force undaunted, with the same commitment and positive outlook.

But that doesn’t even break the surface in describing Ned — he was a true renaissance man.     He was a voracious reader, he loved music of all genres, he was a committed storyteller and writer, and he was passionate about photography, just to list a few of his talents and interests.  Impressively, he was a self- educated man, and he could comfortable join a conversation on virtually any topic. 

No one can replace Ned in the hearts of his wife, family, and friends.  We miss him dearly.  We will be celebrating his life on Friday, July 5 from 2-5pm at the Quail Hill Community Center, 39 Shady Canyon Drive in Irvine.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the City of Hope Foundation, would be appreciated.

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