Rodrigo Ramos Ontiveros, Jr., was born in Alamogordo, New Mexico to the late Rodrigo and Bernadina Ontiveros on August 17, 1941. He went to be with our Lord August 16, 2011 just 30 minutes from his 70th birthday, surrounded by his family, after suffering a massive heart attack. He is survived by four children, daughter Sylvia Marie Vargas and her husband Leo, son Richard Orosco Ontiveros, daughter Esther Cecilia Ontiveros-London, and daughter Rebecca Orosco Peña and her husband René, eight grandchildren: Monique, Thomas, Cande, Matthew, Celina, Daniel, Hannah, Ariana, and one great-grandchild, Cassie. He is also survived by his brothers, Manuel, Ray and Benny Ontiveros, and sisters Estella Montejano and Mary Lou Simi, and many nieces and nephews.
Rodrigo was also known by family and friends as Junior, Wow, and Indio. He was one of many children and they were a talented and musical family. At a very young age he learned to play guitar, and ultimately formed and was the leader of the Rhythm Kings Band in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He also worked alongside his father and learned skillful trades as carpentry, plumbing, and mechanics. After graduating high school and marrying the love of his life Mary Orosco in 1960, he went to trade school to become a Machinist. He was offered employment with Texas Instruments and moved his new family to Dallas, Texas. He was then employed with Bell Helicopter as a Master Machinist and retired after over 40 years of loyal service. Rodrigo was not only a talented musician with a beautiful voice, he also enjoyed martial arts, hunting and camping, watching football, designing and making unique knives and swords, and wonderful gatherings with family and friends, always singing and playing music. He was a devoted husband and always provided for his family.
He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Mary, but is now reunited after 6 weeks apart. This is a true love story that now continues in heaven for eternity. Rod and Mary Ontiveros will be truly missed, but their legacy continues in their children, their grandchildren, and in the memory of the lives they both touched.
