Vicente "Vince" Rodriguez Jr.
Obituary

Vicente “Vince” Rodriguez, Jr., beloved father, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on August 18, 2025, in Venice, California, after a courageous 5-year battle with cancer. He was 63 years old.

Born on September 23, 1961, in Panama City, Florida, Vince grew into a man defined by kindness, creativity, integrity, and an unwavering devotion to his family.

Vince built an accomplished career in film and television. He began as a cameraman for Channel 23 in Minneapolis, MN, before moving to Los Angeles, where he worked as a Key Grip and other grip roles, in the motion picture industry. His work spanned decades of beloved projects, including Malcolm in the Middle, Streets of Laredo, Off the Map, Nip/Tuck, Homeland, Goliath, The Stand, Gambler V, Charlie Trash Truck videos, and more. He was the Owner of Ripple Films. Known for his exceptional work ethic, attention to detail, and creativity, Vince was respected and admired by colleagues across the industry.  He had many dear friends from his career and time in Los Angeles, and from his life before that.  

Outside of work, Vince’s true joy was in creating and caring for those he loved. He could build or fix nearly anything, from intricate sets to hand-crafted furniture. One of his proudest projects was a custom bedroom suite he built for his daughter Alyssa, complete with lofted bunks and ladders—built with the same skill and love that defined everything he touched. He was also a talented chef, delighting family and friends with healthy, thoughtful meals.

Above all, Vince was a devoted father. He was most proud of his daughters Gianna and Alyssa.  He loved them both so much.  He was grateful to be retired, so he could be a full-time hands-on at-home dad to Alyssa the last 4 ½ years, when she lived with him full-time.  He regularly helped with homework and projects and had birthday parties and sleepovers. He was a “mom”/dad, among the other moms at playgroups and was well-known at school and liked.  He strove to teach her about honesty, integrity, peace, understanding and love.  

Vince approached life with kindness and consideration, striving always to understand others and resolve conflicts with compassion. He was fun and funny—the life of the party when laughter was needed, and a steady anchor when strength was called for. Even in his last days, Vince compromised his health, to be sure his wishes for his daughters were known.  He spent time and energy he barely had, to care for the feelings and concerns of others, as he expressed what he thought was best.  He worked diligently to successfully co-parent and was respected and loved for that. 

Vince is survived by his daughters, Gianna Cotroneo and Alyssa Santos; his sisters, Sonia Allen of Salem, OR, and Evelyn Rinker of Sedalia, CO; his niece, Hannah Brooks of Vancouver, WA; and nephews, Charles Allen of Los Angeles, CA, Jesse Allen of Portland, OR, and Joseph Allen of New York, NY. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vicente and Elizabeth Rodriguez.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM at Venice Beach Pier (90291). A later memorial will also be planned.

Vince will be remembered as a loving father, a loyal friend, and a man who sought to bring peace, honesty, and good to the world around him. His legacy lives on in the family he cherished, the work he created, and the countless lives he touched with his humor, generosity, and steady presence.