Friends, family and a host of high-profile Sudburians were on hand Tuesday morning as the city said goodbye to John Rodriguez, the former mayor and MP for Nickel Belt.
Rodriguez, who died July 5, was remembered at a service held at St. Patrick's Church on Walford Road, led by Msgr. James Hutton.
“He used very well that time period between his birth and his death,” Hutton said. “He was a man with a fire to lead. He let that fire reach out and touch others.”
Author and writer Mercedez Quinlan remembers Rodriguez from his time as a teacher in Coniston. She said he was an inspiring man who held his students' attention.
"He was such a dynamic teacher (and) very, very entertaining," Quinlan said. "Everybody who came in contact with John felt listened to, felt championed."
"John always had leadership abilities. He was almost larger than life. He has left us such an amazing legacy."
Ward 4 Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac, who served with Rodriguez on city council from 2006-2010, said he was not just a politician, but a great person.
"I loved John Rodriguez," Dutrisac said. "I call him a man of relationships ... He never held a grudge. We'd disagree on issues, but he was always very respectful."
She remembers one year pushing for five new fire hydrants for a street in her ward. Rodriguez told her she had his support in an unusual way during one meeting.
"All of a sudden he screams to me, 'Evelyn, make me a meat pie and I'll vote for those fire hydrants,' ” she laughed. “That's John. He loved life, people and good food."
"He was a great mayor. I felt close to him because his door was open. I could meet with him (anytime.)”
Rodriguez was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and moved to Canada in 1956. He moved to Coniston in 1962, where he was appointed principal of St. Paul the Apostle School.
He ran federally for the New Democrats in 1972 in Nickel Belt, defeating Liberal Gaetan Serré. He held the seat until losing to Judy Erola in 1980, before reclaiming it in 1984 until 1993.
He returned to teaching after 1993, becoming principal of St. David School. In 2005, he tried to fight forced retirement, before running and winning the mayoralty in 2006. He lost to Marianne Matichuk in 2010, and to Bigger in 2014.
Books of condolences are available for the public to sign at Citizen Service Centres across the city.
