FUNERAL SATURDAY  March 23

Julius V. Rodrigues passed away quietly on Sunday, March 17, 2024. He was the beloved patriarch of his
family. "Rod," as he was known, was born on January 14, 1928 in Hudson, Massachusetts. He is survived
by his son Kenneth (wife Catherine), daughters Pamela Desmarais and Beverly (husband Marc) Schaen.
He is grandfather to six and great grandfather to eight. Rod was preceded by his wife Delores and son
Thomas.
"Rod & Del," as they were known by many, were married for 73 years. Of all his accomplishments and
accolades, he said the best was the day he met his soulmate Del in 1948 at her Senior Prom. He had just
returned home from being wounded in the Philippines and was dressed in his uniform and armed with
courage. Although he saw Del with her date, with great tenacity he asked her to dance. When the dance
was over, he proclaimed to her, "I'm going to marry you" and for more than seven decades he made that
wish come true.
A World War II Army Veteran MP, he served in Manila, Philippines as a Corporal in the 777 AAA Gun
Battalion of Massachusetts. He began work as a young man in his father's pasta business, the Luso
American Macaroni Corporation on Bay Street in Fall River. He was also a salesman at the J. O'Neil Supply
Corporation in Fall River before going into business for himself as owner of East Main Hardware for over
37 years.
Rod served as president of Our Lady of the Angels Federal Credit Union Board of Directors for more than
45 years and advisor to the parish CYO for 12 years. He also served as administrator of the Thomas
Rodrigues Memorial Scholarship for more than 40 years. Rod was a member of the Diman Regional
Vocational Technical High School Hall of Fame, a member of the Over the Hill Gang and a former
member of the Fall River Exchange Club.
Rod was truly a very caring individual and a role model for people of all ages. Among the honors he
received was the Marion Medal, a recognition from the Portuguese Heritage Association, a citation from
the Massachusetts Teachers School Committee of Boston, and an award for more than four decades of
service to Health First in Fall River.
We Miss You. We Love You.
A service for family, relatives and close friends will be held on Saturday, March23 at Almeida's Funeral
Home at 8:00am in Fall River. A funeral Mass to which family and friends are invited will be celebrated at
10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fall River. Interment will follow at Notre Dame Cemetery. To
express condolences to the family, flowers or donations to the Thomas Rodrigues Memorial Scholarship
will be most graciously accepted.  Thomas Rodrigues Memorial Scholarship Fund  251 Stonehaven rd Fall River, A 02723-3519.

8AM AT Funeral Home

10am Mass Holy Trinity

Notre Dame Cemetery