Antonio Rodriguez Castrillon, was born in a small town of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, called Pueblito Nuevo, in the year 1930.
He was one of 8 children born to a humble family. 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Which he loved and even looked up to. His mother, Mariana Castrillon and father Mauricio Rodriguez. I remember, when he told me that when he was a young boy, maybe 8 years old he would help his father sell oranges, fruits in a wooden cart, designed by his father, around the neighborhood to make ends meet.
Dad admired his father, who was then a retired veteran. His family lived next to Mom’s family, that is where he met his sweetheart, Mom-Olga. Then as a young man, his family decided to move to New York City. They worked hard to have a better life. Mom and Dad got married in New York and had 3 beautiful children, Cruz, Tony and Edwin. He had 4 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, which he loved.
He worked as a Chef at Tads Steak house in Manhattan, that’s where he got his cooking skills. Tads steak house is still open today. I know because we would take the train with some of my friends, and he would cook for us, some great steaks, We only paid .25 cents for the soda. He also worked at the New York Worlds fair from 1964-1965. He loved it. He worked in the Wisconsin Pavilion, where they had the biggest cheese in the world in a big freezer.
After a few years, he decided to return to his homeland, which he missed loved and missed so much, Puerto Rico in 1968. Dad worked in construction and Mom was a stay-at-home mom. Dad also worked in a Factory called Comel, Where he was a Quality Assurance Inspector. He loved that job. He got us our first home in Bayamon, Puerto Rico with sacrifice in 1971. We were all so happy. There he started to play baseball at the local park, he was a great pitcher, won many games.
He loved the Mets And Mom loved the Cubs, they would watch baseball together and they loved to compete on which Baseball Team would win. In New York he would take us to Yankee Stadium on our birthdays to watch the games. Dad was also great artist, he was part of group named Artesanos of Puerto Rico, working with wood and painting palm trees and landscapes of Puerto Rico. He also loves his music and has more than a thousand CD’s, records of Salsa, Tipical, Classical, Jazz all types of music.
He also sat by the stereo to hear and play his congas and other instruments. He did come from a family of musicians who sang with known bands. He loved Puerto Rico so much that he was inspired to write poems, short history and anecdotes about the isla And the way that he felt about politics and the world he grew up in. He gave his life to the Lord in 1988 and was also baptized. He loved the lord Dad was always a Dreamer, with love and respect for his family.
We will miss him. Now he is Heaven with Mom, watching over us. Thank you, Dad, for the great memories. See you in heaven. Love your Family.