Derick Daniel Rodriquez

With heavy hearts, we share that Derick Daniel Rodriquez unexpectedly left us on May 31, 2026, at the age of 52. The son of Dan Rodriquez and the late Thelma Wilson, Derick lived every single day to the fullest — and he had a way of making sure everyone around him did too.

A proud Marine, Derick served his country in the United States Marine Corps as a Special Force Recon, a role that called for the kind of strength, loyalty, and grit that defined him for the rest of his life.

Ask anyone who knew him, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Derick was the life of the party. He was the guy you wanted to know at every tailgate — manning the smoker, perfecting his BBQ, with a story to tell and a seat saved for whoever wandered over. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it, no questions asked.

An avid outdoorsman, Derick loved golfing, hunting, and fishing, and he never met a sport he didn’t love — golf, football, all of it. He was a lifelong Cardinals fan (until recently), but nothing ever came close to the joy he found in his family. He never missed a game, a match, or a moment that mattered to the people he loved — and never, ever, missed one of his kids’ events.

Derick leaves behind his beloved wife, Leslie Mathers-Rodriquez; his sons, Jake and Jai Rodriquez; and his daughter, Kami Rodriquez, who were the pride and joy of his life, along with his stepchildren — Samuel Mathers and his wife, Taylor; Jack Mathers; and Maddie Mathers and her husband, Kelton, along with their son, Sawyer.

Derick is also survived by his father, Dan Rodriquez, and his stepmother, Naomi Rodriquez; his brother, Gavin Rodriquez, and Gavin’s children, Kennedy and Camden Rodriquez; his sister Kara Broderick and her husband, Brian, and their sons, Stephen Hernandez and Braylen Broderick; his sister Amber Wilson and her son, Alrich; and his aunt, Deanna Broskey, and her husband, Howard, along with Deanna’s daughter, Kilee Wilson, and Kiley’s son, Luke.

He loved every one of them fiercely and without measure.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Whitney & Murphy Bueler Mortuary, 14 W. Hulet Drive, Chandler, Arizona 85225.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Derick's honor to the Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue, https://donorbox.org/southwest-oasis-labrador-rescue.

The world was a brighter, louder, and more generous place with Derick in it. He will be missed beyond words.