Joaquim "Jack" Rodriques, 94, of New Bedford passed away Sunday May 26, 2019 at St. Luke's Hospital. He was the husband of Arlene A. (Entwistle) Francisco Rodriques.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Arthur and Inocencia J. (Lage) Rodriques, he lived in New Bedford all of his life.
Mr. Rodriques was formerly employed as a firefighter for the New Bedford Fire Department until his retirement.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and participated in the Normandy Invasion, the Campaigns of Northern France and the Rhineland, and the Battle of the Bulge.
Jack loved to play tennis every morning and loved to dance. He was active in New Bedford Democratic politics.
He is survived by his wife, Arlene; his son, Gary Rodriques and his wife Christine of Fairhaven; his stepchildren, Pamela Francisco of Dover, NH and Jason Francisco of Middletown, RI; his sister, Irene Cabot of Westerly, RI; two grandchildren, Jeana Sargent and her husband Norman and John Rodriques; his great-grandson, Michael Sargent; and two step-grandchildren, Tabatha Francisco and Matthew Whitham.
He was the great-grandfather of the late Meghan Sargent, and brother of the late Fernando Rodriques, Eulalia DeBalsi, Belmira Britto, Alice Dulude, Lucy DeMello, and Tina Rodriques.
His Funeral will be held on Saturday June 1, 2019 at 7:30 AM from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford, followed by his Funeral Mass at St. Mary's Church, Tarkiln Hill Road at 8:30 AM. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Friday May 31, 2019 from 4-7 PM. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Meghan Sargent Scholarship Fund, c/o Fairhaven High School, 12 Huttleston Ave., Fairhaven, MA 02719, or the Salvation Army, 619 Purchase St., New Bedford, MA 02740. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.