In Memoriam

esperanza B. Rodriguez

December 18, 1935 - January 28, 2024

Esperanza B. Rodriguez, age 88, of New Castle, DE, passed away peacefully in her home on Sunday, January 28th, 2024.

Esperanza was born in Yaguaròn, Paraguay. She moved to the United States and became a U.S. citizen.  She graduated from Wilmington High School and Delaware Technical and Community College. After completing her education, she worked as a medical technician at the Wilmington Medical Center beginning in 1971 where her specialty focused on rehabilitation services.

She enjoyed spending time with family and friends and was always helping others. She had a strong Catholic faith and was a parishioner of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Wilmington and a very active member of the St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Wilmington. She participated in the Charismatic Group at St. Paul’s as well as the Liturgy Group.  She was also an active member of Fundaciòn Panambi Inc., a U.S.-based non-profit organization committed to the economic stability, health, education and social development of the people of Paraguay.

She was predeceased in death by her parents, Felipe Santiago Benitez and Ceferina Aranda de Benitez of Paraguay; her husband of 48 years, Andres Rivera Rodriguez of Wilmington, DE; her brothers, Antonio, Calixto and Dionisio Benitez of Paraguay; and her stepson, Andres Rodriguez Jr. of Puerto Rico.

Esperanza is survived by her daughters, Maria Felisa De Kler and husband Randy of Florida and Hilda McDermott and husband Mark of Wilmington, DE; her stepdaughters, Carmen, Sandra, Zoraida and Evelyn all of Puerto Rico; several grandchildren including Brian and Scott McDermott, Glenn De Kler (Jessica); her nephew, Armando Church (Trey Giddens); her niece and grandniece, Amanda and Olivia Hansen.

She is also survived by her sisters, Anselma Benitez of Paraguay and Eufrosina Benitez Church (Billy Gene) of Middletown, DE. 

Special thanks to our extended family members and close friends for their supports and prayers as well Compassionate Care Hospice for services and guidance.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Monday, February 5th, 2024 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church from 9:30AM-10:30AM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30AM. Interment will follow in Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 N. DuPont Hwy, New Castle, DE 19720.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Fundaciòn Panambi Inc., fundacionpanambi.org, 721 N. Pine Island Rd., Suite 212, Plantation, FL 33324-1332 or online at PayPal.com/paypalme/FundacionPanambi.