Obituary: Vanessa Noemí Rodríguez (Feb. 13, 1978 - Dec. 11, 2019)

Vanessa Noemí Rodríguez, February 13, 1978 - December 11, 2019

Family members, loved ones, friends and acquaintances whose lives had been touched, graced and enriched for having known her are saddened to announce that Vanessa Noemí Rodríguez transitioned to the great hereafter on Dec. 11th,  2019. A beloved daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, partner, aunt, godmother, niece, cousin, and friend, she passed during the early afternoon while surrounded by her loving family, relatives and friends. They are understandably grief-stricken by her untimely passing.

Welcomed as a blessing and a gift from the creator by parents Sandra Aguirre and Jaime Rodríguez, Vanessa was born on February 13th, 1978. Over time, a substantial number of others would grow to regard her with similar gratitude and affection. It goes without saying that all will mourn her departure deeply.

An extraordinarily compassionate human being from childhood on, she readily opened her home to anyone in need, at times providing care to children and siblings who otherwise would not have had shelter. Vanessa had the biggest heart and cared for so many, no matter their means or circumstances. Regardless of how rough her own situation became, she did whatever it took to help her family, friends and even complete strangers face challenges and overcome obstacles.

Vanessa’s smile and laugh were contagious. Those close to her as well as the dozens of others who had only been lucky enough to meet her briefly all experienced the love that radiated from her so naturally. A perennial optimist, she was also a very open-minded person who found something positive in every person and every situation.

A warm and gentle mother, she bore two beautiful and amazing daughters: Angela Renee, 23; and Jalynn Marie, 16. The two of them, she often said, were her “heart,” her “first true loves,” her “sunshines.” It was clear to everyone that her entire world revolved around them. She would later make the decision to adopt, loving and caring for her adoptive daughter Rayanna in the same way and with the same energy she offered the girls to whom she had given birth herself. Vanessa also became the proud “Nana” (grandmother) to a pair of beautiful grandchildren, Marley Jade, 4-years-old, and Ozias Angel Hernandez, (7-months-old). Overjoyed with her new role as a doting “Nana” to the two grandkids, she shared her wonder and awe at the depth and intensity of the love she felt for them. She loved her grandbabies Marley and Ozias with her whole being.

Vanessa never missed an opportunity to reassure her family and friend about how much she loved them. She never hung up the phone or hugged someone goodbye without first saying “I love you.”
Vanessa was also very intuitive and remembered specific details about everyone in her life. Her abundant love was universal.

She attended Robert Hill Lane Elementary, Macy Intermediate School, Dexter Middle School, Mark Keppel High School, Schurr High School, and East Los Angeles College. A hard-working mother, Vanessa was also recognized as a dedicated parent volunteer at her children’s school activities.

A former resident of East Los Angeles, Whittier, and Monterey Park, Vanessa had made Montebello home for several years at the time of her passing. She was laid to rest at Rose Hills Cemetery.

Vanessa is survived by her fiancé George Zavala, her parents Sandra and Jaime, daughters Angela, Jalynn and Rayanna, her grandchildren Marley and Ozias, her brother Jaime, her godsons, her nieces, nephews, cousins and many other family members who remained at her side until the end. Vanessa’s absence will be mourned far and wide by many, but she will be eternally remembered for her generosity of spirit, her passion for social justice and the purity of her radiant soul.