Rodrigo Adarve of Medellín, Colombia, passed away at the age of 91 at Advent Health Hospital in Orlando, Florida, around sunrise on October 10, 2023.
He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Fabiola Adarve Balcazar. They were just two months shy of celebrating 70 years of marriage on their platinum wedding anniversary on December 5, 2023.
He is remembered by his seven children: Patricia, Elkin, Diego, Carlos Mario, Marcela, Adriana, and Axel and their spouses.
He leaves behind 12 grandchildren who lovingly referred to him as “abuelito:” Diana Carolina, Daniela, Debbie, Andrea, Melissa, Paola, Nathalie, Catalina, Camilo, Gabriela, Lucas, and Sofia, and their spouses, as well as 7 great grandchildren: Brooks, Sienna, Paulina, Amelia, Mason, Enzo, Emily and one great-granddaughter on the way.
Men like Rodrigo Adarve are few and far between. He was a rare gem to all who had the pleasure of being in his life. He was a man of values and tradition, always putting his family first. His career led him to work for the FAO or Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, traveling to countries as far from home as Egypt and traveling to several countries in Europe, Central and South America for months on end working as an Agricultural Engineer specializing in entomology to provide for his wife and seven children.
He was a man of principle, refusing to take shortcuts in his work or jeopardize his integrity to please others. He often reminded us that he came from humble beginnings; his father, a medical doctor, was born in the mountains on the outskirts of Medellín. His paternal grandmother did not learn to wear shoes until her adult age. Rodrigo taught his grandmother to write her own name as an elderly woman. From those humble beginnings, his hard work and dedication inspired a cross-continental move to the United States where most of his children would follow and learn to call home. Because of one decision to risk it all decades ago and try his luck as an immigrant, he gave his great-grandchildren and even some of his grandchildren the opportunity to be born as first-generation Americans.
He was a scholar, who earned his Masters and PhD in entomology, and a teacher, educating as a substitute teacher in Orlando public schools before retiring at the age of over 70.
He was also an artist. He loved to work with his hands, and today’s generation would even call his work environmentally conscious, as he often collected items around the house—such as wine corks or bottle caps— and upcycled them into one-of-a-kind creations.
He was a writer and a poet. He dedicated love notes by hand, a nearly lost art, to his wife, who he lovingly called his “Negrita” or “Mija.” From childhood, he kept a diary recording every detail of his life. With only two exceptions on account of severe illness, he wrote in his diary religiously every night until just before his passing. When he wasn’t writing, he was an orator, the family’s unofficial historian, sharing anecdotes of times past.
He was a lover of music. In Colombia, he was the singer and percussionist of Los Guacamayos, a band with six members, including his brother Hector and half-brother Elijio. One of his favorite songs was Mambo No. 5 by Pérez Prado, although he was known to take to the dancefloor for any genre—even when his grandson, Lucas, played him and his grandmother Fabiola a mix of his musical group’s latest hardstyle dance track.
Above all, he was a lover of life. He respected all living creatures and proudly displayed his insect collection to his grandchildren during family visits to his and Fabiola’s home in Orlando. He never missed an opportunity to call and congratulate his loved ones on their birthday and took great care to detail any births, changes in address or special occasions in the notes section of his diary.
Rodrigo believed in God, the afterlife and that he would one day experience the joy of restful, eternal peace. His soul left this earthly realm on the tenth day of the tenth month of the year, or 10/10. According to numerology, the number 1010 represents a soul’s harmonious voyage on the path to enlightenment, growth, and awakening. It also symbolizes the soul’s accomplishment of a mission. If we are to believe the spiritual meaning of the date of his passing, then we must believe his soul completed his earthly mission and he has ascended to the afterlife.
Rodrigo Adarve’s family respects his wishes to be cremated and to not have a viewing or ceremony at this time. In honor of his life and legacy, we ask that rather than mourn his loss, you reflect on beautiful memories, the great sacrifices he made for his family, and most of all, the laughter and love he shared with those blessed enough to know him. We ask that you live every day with no regrets and tell those closest to you that you love them. Perhaps you may take a moment to reflect on what you are thankful for and remember him on this Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2023, which would have been his 92nd birthday. We believe this is the best way to cherish his memory. Thank you.
Rodrigo’s arrangements are in the caring guidance of Winter Oak Funeral Home and Cremation, located at 1132 E. Plant St. Winter Garden, FL 34787