Soledad Rodriguez

On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, our mother Soledad Davila Rodriguez, passed away in her sleep - into the arms of her loving savior Jesus Christ. Soledad was born in Hidalgo de Parrel, Chihuahua, Mexico on June 1st, 1930 to Saturnino Davila and Maria Esparza. Mom married young and shortly thereafter came to Crewport, WA (Granger area) with dad at the age of 15 and began raising her family which eventually became 8 boys and 2 girls. Many young ladies from Arkansas and Oklahoma lived in Crewport at that time in 1946 and befriended mom who quickly learned to speak English. Mom soon joined our dad working in the hop fields, and many other bountiful crop harvests in the area. Mom was a woman of strong Christian faith and always made sure that we attended Sunday school each weekend. Our parents became familiar with Granger church members and always made sure we, as kids, always had a ride into Granger for Sunday school service if they couldn’t take us. Each year as kids we became migrants during our summer school break. Mom and Dad made sure that as soon as summer break was here we would pack up the station wagon and head for Mt. Vernon WA to pick strawberries, cucumbers, raspberries, string beans and other vegetables. This work provided our family with the primary source of income through the winter months while dad worked on construction sites. Mom enjoyed being a community advocate for the underserved and was soon providing resources to folks in need. Translation services, transportation, etc. After mom obtained her GED, mom went on to work for several years as an intern for several Democratic and Republican legislators in Olympia. Mom thoroughly enjoyed legislative work and was soon offered government jobs which she turned down to come back home to her children. Mom went on to serve on the Central WA Aging and Long Term Care Board for several years. Throughout the years mom went on to receive numerous recognition awards from City, County and State governmental and non-profit agencies. Mom decided to put all this political life aside and behind her when her children started giving her grandchildren and mom decided that was where her heart and true love in life was, with her grandchildren. Mom then took up traveling nationally and internationally with her sons and daughters and sometimes only with her grandkids. Mom traveled to Ireland to see a grandson marry. She traveled to Alaska with only her great grandchildren. She traveled to Mexico numerous times with her children. Vacationing in Hawaii was her favorite where she traveled to numerous times. Our Grandfather was a captain in the Mexican Army for 25 years and that may have been where she picked up her interest in traveling because military families were on the move. Mom also enjoyed being a missionary to poor underserved rural towns in Mexico and would join College teams traveling to Mexico ministering in the deserts of Mexico. Mom’s enjoyment was mingling and having supper with the residents of these desert towns after a full day of ministering the word of God. Mom touched the lives of thousands of people throughout her life time and led many to the Lord. Mom was a person of strong faith and God was the most important aspect of her life. Mom instilled that faith in her family and every person that she met. Mom was preceded in death by parents, brothers and sisters and within the last 5 years two sons John and Ezekiel. Mom is survived by her son Margarito, Roberto, Joe, Ben, Luis, David and daughters Rachel Jacobs and Suzanne Lopez and a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren. A viewing for our mother Soledad will be held on Monday October 19, 2020 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Valley Hills Funeral Home in Sunnyside WA The following day Tuesday October 20, 2020 funeral service will be begin at 10:00 AM at Sunnyside Grace Brethren Church and conclude with internment at Sunnyside Memorial Garden. Due to our current COVID-19 Pandemic environment face masks will be required at all facilities attended. Condolences may be sent to valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Soledad Rodriguez, please visit our flower store.