Winston R Rodriguez

Obituary

Winston R Rodriguez

Winston Rodriguez, 54, passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2025 at his home in Hoquiam, WA.

He was born in Trinidad and Tobago on October 1, 1971, one of 4 children to Michael and Seeta. Growing up in the Caribbean Islands, Winston got to experience the beauty of the island landscape, calypso bands and Trinidad Carnival.

The family moved to South Florida in 1980. Shortly after Winston attended a Christian church camp in upstate New York, Freedom Village, where he accepted Jesus as his Savior. As a young teenager he was not shy about getting up in front of large crowds and sharing his story of salvation. One of his favorite bible verses was Isaiah 59:1- 'Are Gods arms too short to save?' Its a verse letting you know that no one is too far gone for God.

He worked in many different fields. He became an apprentice doing concrete resurfacing and later owned his own company, Custom Surfaces by Design. He took a lot of pride in his beautiful decks and driveways.

Winston was also a commercial fisherman working on longline boats out of Jacksonville, Florida and Gloucester, Massachusetts. He loved his experiences fishing the Grand Banks for tuna and swordfish, surviving storms while fighting big fish.

He was an avid fisherman. In his spare time, he loved fishing the bridges of the Florida Keyes, especially shark fishing.

Winston had a love for sail boats and cherished the times he spent out at sea sailing with his step dad Jim.

Winston married Cristy in 2005 and had 3 beautiful children, Kaylee, Michael and Ashley. Winston felt blessed becoming a dad and often shared the story of how he prayed to God to be blessed with children, and how he first found out his prayer was answered on his birthday.

He was a loving and fun husband and father, often making us laugh with his 'dad jokes'.

Winston had the opportunity to do some work in California and wanted someday to return to the Pacific Coast. In 2023 he relocated with his wife and children to the Pacific Northwest where they bought a home and started a new adventure. He had a lot of fun salmon fishing and taking day trips with his wife and children to places like the Olympic National Forest and Cannon Beach.

He is survived by his wife Cristina and children Kaylee, Michael and Ashley Rodriguez, brothers Anthony and Ronald Rodriguez, sister Michelle Moore, and mother Seeta McKnight. He is preceded in death by his father Michael Rodriguez and Step Father Jim McKnight.

Minister’s Comments

From jumping between fishing poles that landed a hit to telling the best “dad jokes”, Winston will be sorely missed. For each person here, there are indescribable moments that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. It is those moments that we seek to honor today.

Pray with me.

There is only one comfort that remains when we lose a loved one. Especially when that lose came so suddenly. That comfort is in the promise of eternal life with Jesus through faith in Him. That eternal life is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

As people we measure worthiness by how people perform. God measure worth in faith. Do we have faith in Him. Do we as imperfect people understand that we need God and put our full hope in Him. Winston knew this hope. He knew who his Savior was and now he knows his savior more deeply than ever before.

We may not understand the timing that God uses to bring His children home to be with Him but this too requires faith. We must trust the promises of God, that salvation is in His hands and that the hope of heaven lies in front of each person who trusts in Jesus. Listen to these words from Jesus.

John 14:1–4 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

John 10:27–30 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

If a person has genuine faith in Jesus, there is a place waiting for them. There is a promise that no one, not even ourselves with all our mistakes, can take us out of the loving hands of our Heavenly Father or snatch us from the hands of Jesus.

This is the hope that we come with today. This is why we celebrate the life of Winston. A loving husband, who took pleasure in showing that love. A fun-loving father who loved to play and find the joy in every moment. A son who wanted to make his parents proud.

I know that Winston would want each of you to know that he has found peace. He is at rest and he wants you to join him in heaven. Each person must make their own choice when it comes to God. Winston chose Jesus and has entered into his reward and He would want each of you to make that same choice.

Let’s join Winston in worshipping Jesus.