Racine, WI. – Maria Gloria Rodriguez (Martinez), age 73, of Racine, Wisconsin passed away on January 21, 2022, at Ascension – All Saints Hospital, surrounded by her family and in the loving arms and hands of her three children, Alejandro (Hondro) Martinez, Alysia Ruiz (Martinez), and Benjamin E. Martinez.

Gloria, as she preferred to be called was born September 6, 1948, in San Antonio, Texas but moved to Racine, Wisconsin in 1959 and graduated from Horlick High School in 1967.  She never let us forget how she had to walk miles in the Wisconsin weather to go to school as there were no busses; her children and grandchildren had it made.

Gloria was a stay at home mother until her first two children were of school age. Gloria then entered the workforce at Delco Electronics (Delphi) in Oak Creek, WI, where she also worked with her beloved brother, Victoriano R. Rodriguez Jr. and best friend Trini Boucher for thirty years. She wanted and decided to retire in 2006 to take care of her granddaughter, Miami Martinez, so she didn't have to go to daycare. It was during this time, she took up the hobby of baking and decorating cookies.

Gloria was called "Moo Moo" by her grandchildren. This name was originated by her first granddaughter, Mercedes Martinez (Bradshaw) because her pajamas had cows on them.  Gloria was also called "CC" by her great-grandchildren. We still don't know where that came from, but it stuck.  Family was everything to Gloria, "Moo Moo", "CC" and so were her traditions. Every holiday, birthday, or any other reason to celebrate was either a cookout in her backyard or in the dining room where, for many years, we had to rotate to eat because the family was so big. A party wasn't a party without her delicious, decorated cookies, fabulously representing each occasion to perfection.

Gloria was preceded in death by her father Victoriano Cervantez Rodriguez; mother Emedina Rodriguez (nee: Rodriguez); her beloved sisters Mary DeLaRosa, Rose Torres (Julio) and Jane (Mingo) Fuentes of San Antonio, Texas; and her brothers John (Sue) Rodriguez of Houston, Texas and Victoriano R. Rodriguez Jr. of Racine, WI.

She is survived by her husband of twenty-five years, Ramiro Rodriguez; children Alejandro (Laurie) Martinez, Alysia (Miguel) Ruiz and Benjamin (Araceli) Martinez; 14 grandchildren Mercedes (Christopher) Bradshaw, Tawny (Christopher Watts) Martinez, Thomas N. Platt, Sapphire R. Platt, Silver N. Platt, Cheyanne Martinez, Heaven Rodriguez, Mariah Martinez, Marciano Martinez, Miami R. Martinez, Mariana Martinez, Lillyana Martinez, Benjamin and Mathias Martinez; 7 great-grandchildren Noah, Nalia, Niko, Nina, and Nian Bradshaw, Leonardo Contreras, and Emeri Arendt; and brothers Nick (Tencha) and Sam (Susie) Rodriguez of San Antonio, Texas and Vincent (Gloria) Rodriguez of Racine, WI.

A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor on  Saturday, January 29, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home, 4600 County Line Road, Racine, WI. Visitation will be in the chapel from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family. Everyone is encouraged to wear purple in honor of her favorite color.

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