Joe Avalos Rodriguez

Joe Avalos Rodriguez, age 85, of Arlington, Texas, passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2021. Joe is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mary Ann Rodriguez, two sisters, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and many cousins and loved ones. His parents, four of his siblings, and a grandson preceded him in death.

Joe was born December 22, 1935, graduated from San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School, and joined the Marine Crops in 1952. Joe served four tours in the Vietnam War and became a decorated Marine who quickly rose though the noncommissioned officer ranks, culminating with promotion to Sergeant Major, an honor and career advancement few enlisted servicemen accomplish.

His proudest achievement as a Marine was to have served as Base Sergeant Major of Camp Pendleton, the largest Marine Corps base in the world. A heart attack and bypass surgery catalyzed his retirement from active duty in 1986 and then from reserve duty in 1992 after almost forty years of military service. During his career as a Marine, Joe was an avid golfer on the many military bases where he was stationed, and a competitive runner and marksman.

After retiring from the Marine Corps, Joe attended Tarrant County Junior College and then The University of Texas at Arlington, where he earned a degree in Sociology. He loved to read and write life histories, talk about social-political issues, and think critically about the world around him. He wrote a number of manuscripts over the years, including one about Mexican-American marriage traditions and one about his family. He was especially fond of old family mementos and loved to share stories from his life that contained lessons and/or kernels of truth that he thought might help his loved ones live well.

A visitation will be held on December 14 from 5-8pm and a military funeral service will be held on December 15 at 9:30am at the DFW National Cemetery. Flowers can be sent or brought to the Moore Bowen Road Funeral Home for the December 14 viewing.