Anthony Joseph Rodriguez

ANTHONY J. RODRIGUEZ, 78, PASSED AWAY AT HIS HOME IN FRANNIE, WYOMING ON OCTOBER 10, 2009. HE WAS BORN ON OCT 2 1931 TO LOUIS RODRIGUEZ AND JENNY TERRACIANO IN  HAZELTON, PENNSYLVANIA. AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL HE SERVED IN THE NAVY DURING THE KOREAN WAR. IN 1952  HE MARRIED HELENE  WANSIK AND TOGETHER THEY HAPPILY RAISED A FAMILY OF TWO DAUGHTERS AND TWO SONS IN LEVITTOWN AND MORRISVILLE, PA. TONY WAS A BRAKE SPECIALIST, AN ENERGETIC AND INDUSTRIOUS WORKER, AND  TOGETHER WITH HIS FRIEND AND PARTNER, WARREN FERGUSON, HE EVENTUALLY LAUNCHED HIS OWN AUTO PARTS WHOLESALE STORE. THE VENTURE FLOURISHED AND ENJOYED GREAT SUCCESS. HOWEVER, ON A FAMILY VACATION TO IDAHO IN 1973 HE WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE GRANDEUR OF THE WEST, ITS MOUNTAINS AND STREAMS, THAT HE SOLD HIS SHARE OF THE BUSINESS AND MOVED THE FAMILY TO POCATELLO, IDAHO. SADLY, HELENE DIED SUDDENLY IN 1975. TONY  STARTED A NEW CAREER AS AN INSURANCE SALESMAN. IN 1981 HE MARRIED JOSEPHINE LOBDELL, THE BEGINNING OF A WONDERFUL LIFE TOGETHER. THEY PURCHASED A HOME IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY, MONTANA, AND LATER MOVED TO THE BIG HORN BASIN, WYOMING.  TONY LOVED TO HUNT AND FISH. IN MONTANA HE WAS A HUNTER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR AND A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BIGFORK GUN CLUB. HE ESPECIALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO PHEASANT SEASON WHEN HE SPENT LONG DAYS IN THE FIELD WITH HIS BELOVED HUNTING DOGS.  TONY HAD MANY SKILLS AND GAVE GENEROUSLY OF HIS TALENTS. HE WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF HIS CHURCH, SERVING ON MANY COUNCILS. HE WAS A FOURTH DEGREE KNIGHT OF COLUMBUS AND A LIFELONG MEMBER OF THE NRA. HE WAS A DEVOTED HUSBAND, A LOVING FATHER AND STEP-FATHER, AND A GENEROUS FRIEND. HE ENDURED HIS FINAL ILLNESS WITH FORTITUDE AND GRACE. HIS JOYFUL SPIRIT WILL BE MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS BELOVED WIFE, JO, HIS DAUGHTER, CYNTHIA (ALEX) USOG; DAUGHTER,KIM,(BRIAN) BUCKINGHAM; SON,DAVID; STEPSON, LAURENCE LOBDELL; STEPDAUGHTER,FIONA( BILL) OSTLER; STEPSON,ALEX(GLORIA) LOBDELL; SISTER, SILVIA SMITH; THIRTEEN GRANDCHILDREN AND FIVE GREAT- GRANDCHILDREN. HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY  HIS SON, ANTHONY RODRIGUEZ JR., HIS STEP-SON, GREGORY LOBDELL, AND HIS SISTER , ANA MARIA HOLBROOKS.THE FUNERAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED AT ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LOVELL AT 10 A.M., SAT., OCTOBER 17, 2009.  IN LIEU OF FLOWERS DONATIONS MAY BE SENT TO POWELL VALLEY HOSPICE, POWELL, WY.