Born into a family of entrepreneurs and tradesmen, Len Rodriguez of Sag Harbor was a skilled carpenter who started his own construction company after serving in the Army in the early 1960s. “You can drive down many roads in the Sag Harbor/East Hampton area and see some of the houses he built, including the home his family currently lives in,” his family wrote.
Mr. Rodriguez died at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital on Dec. 27 after a long illness, facing both lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 87.
Born on Nov. 12, 1937, to Jesse Rodriguez and the former Dorothy Scott, the third of their nine children, he grew up in Amagansett and graduated from East Hampton High School, where he was one of the most valuable players on the Bonackers baseball team. “His versatility as a player and his ability as a pitcher led the team to victory time and time again,” his family said.
Mr. Rodriguez married Marianne Cosgrove of Sag Harbor on June 21, 1959, and the two bought their first home together there soon after.
After he enlisted in the Army in 1961, the couple spent two years in Virginia, where he was serving. He continued to play baseball in the Army, and was known for his athleticism throughout his life.
In 1975, the couple adopted a daughter, Amanda, “who instantly became the light of his life and the focus of his energy,” his family recalled. “He enjoyed sharing his love of baseball with her and they spent many days playing catch in the front yard.”
He was immediately enamored with his granddaughter, Isabel, born in 2007, “and has been wrapped around her finger ever since,” his family said. “The two had a very special connection, transcending the usual parameters of grandfather and granddaughter. He was the best dad and Grampy the girls could ask for.”
When he wasn’t playing catch with his daughter, he could be found on the golf course. He was president of the Sag Harbor Golf Club for a time, and he and his wife enjoyed playing with their golfing buddies at courses along the East Coast.
Mr. Rodriguez and his family knew the meaning of giving back to their community. He and many members of his family and extended family served as firefighters, police officers, nurses, emergency medical technicians, and school bus drivers in East Hampton and Amagansett.
Of his siblings, only two sisters, Shirley Wornstaff and Alicia Hoyt, both of East Hampton, survive.
He is also survived by his wife, Marianne Rodriguez, his daughter, Amanda Rodriguez, and his granddaughter, Isabel Mitchell, all of Sag Harbor, and by many nieces, nephews, and friends.
His family will receive visitors on Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. A graveside service is planned for Sunday at 11 a.m. at Oak Grove Cemetery on Windmill Lane in Amagansett.
