Rodolfo B. Rojas

Rodolfo B. Rojas of Ontario, California passed away on Thursday, October 17, 2019 at the Dellbrook Guest Home, being 83 years of age, after a battle with Parkinson’s. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Juana Nieto Rojas, his son, Cesar Rojas and his wife Diane Rojas, and his daughters, Thelma Mangahas and her husband Emmanuel (Manny) Mangahas, and Soledad Castellon and her husband Jose (Tony) Castellon, as well as seven grandchildren: James Mangahas, Miranda Mangahas, Alyssa Mangahas, Anthony Castellon, Alexander (Alex) Castellon, Adam Castellon, and Andrew Castellon.

Rodolfo was born on August 5, 1936 in Mexico City to the late Francisco Rojas and the late Soledad Becerril. He grew up in Mexico and immigrated to the US in 1960 with his brother, Francisco. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Teresa Rodriguez, Hilaria Lorrabaquio, and Trinidad Flores as well as his brothers Fernando Rojas, Francisco Rojas, and Ruben Rojas.

Rodolfo was an auto mechanic who worked for the Rapid Transit District (RTD), now known as the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LAMTA), for 23 years, retiring in 1999.

He enjoyed the challenge of fixing cars, buses, and anything else that stopped working around the house, trying to determine what was wrong. He also enjoyed carpentry, reading, watching action packed films, drinking a good whiskey or tequila, eating his wife’s wonderful Mexican cooking, listening to music, and dancing at parties. Those that knew him, know that he would sometimes worry about many things that he could not control or stress about new situations but that never stopped him from trying new things such as different foods from other countries like dim sum or going to the theater to watch The Phantom of the Opera. He wanted his children to take advantage of educational opportunities so that they would not struggle like he had. He loved his grandchildren and attended their various activities and events. During retirement, he took up walking in the neighborhood for exercise. He also enjoyed traveling to visit family in Mexico City and Northern Virginia. He will be greatly missed by his family in this life, but they are consoled by the fact that they will see him again one day in the next life.