Obituary of Raquel Maria Rodriguez

Raquel Maria Rodriguez, 74, of Tacoma, Washington, passed away peacefully on February 22, 2011. Raquel was born in New York City, on March 30, 1936 to the late Maria Luisa Rivera and Santiago Rodriguez. Raquel was a self-educated woman, who loved the written word. Her books were very precious to her and she taught us that you could always travel to places far and beyond, by picking up a book. One of her favorite poems “There is No Frigate Like a Book” by Emily Dickinson was framed in her home as a reminder to us that it was that simple: "There is no frigate like a book To take us lands away, Nor any coursers like a page Of prancing poetry. This traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of toll; How frugal is the chariot That bears a human soul!" She cherished swimming, sewing, carpentry and a good Scrabble game. She loved to write notes on funny things she would come across – whether it was a line from a book or something she saw on a program she watched. Her comedy about life is what will be missed the most. Raquel was a true comedian who could deliver a smile at the drop of a couple words – and not all of them politically correct. Her favorite – the “F” word was the best – and if you didn’t know what it really meant she would tell you – Fornication Unlawful Carnal Knowledge – which was written on arresting documents back in the day and then someone decided that the phrase could be abbreviated! She could make you choke with laughter by the very way she delivered it. A book called the “F” Word was given to her as a gift, and upon receiving it, she laughed and said “What the “F”!! Raquel is survived by her four children: Stephanie, Emily, James and Jessica; her grandchildren: Tanishia, Douglass, Jennifer, Nathaniel, Keanu and Jada; her great grand children: Janique, Jason, Jasyra, Jahreem and Anthony; siblings: the late Eduardo and Emmy; Marguerite, Santiago, Ramon, Orlando and Carlos. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews and her beloved cat, Da Muddins. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. Please share memories and condolences in her guest book. A celebration of Raquel’s life will be held on Saturday, March 12th from 2 to 6pm.