1123 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 349-1234
James A. Rogers - Owner Manager - NJ Lic. No. 3413
Tribute Wall
Monday
30
December
Visiting Hours
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Monday, December 30, 2024
Kedz Funeral Home
1123 Hooper Avenue
Toms River , New Jersey, United States
(732) 349-1234
Monday
30
December
Interment
12:30 pm
Monday, December 30, 2024
Rosehill Cemetery
792 E Edgar Rd
Linden, New Jersey, United States
(908) 862-4990
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Diana Dalton posted a symbolic gesture
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
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My Most Sincere Condolences To My Four Children, Grandchildren and Great-Grandkid. David & I were married very young, he was a great Dad and, very hard worker. I was very devastated to know of his passing, but I do know that he is in a better place right now, I will always miss him and love him forever, Rest in peace, David I’m sure you’re there with your mom or your aunt and uncles having a great time. God Bless all our children! Diana Dalton
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Venus Dunbar posted a condolence
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Venus Dunbar
My dad was a great man, terrific son and outstanding dad. He was a hard worker often having 2/3 jobs but always had time for us. He had family nights with games n lots of treats. He was the best at playing hide n seek. Hiding on top of the refrigerator, in a kitchen cabinet n even lying flat up against a window sill. He took us on fun camping trips. He didn’t just lay around n rest he played at their rec center or swam with us in the pool.
He was very emotional n sentimental. It wasn’t unusual to see him teary eyed while watching Little House on the Prairie. He had to wear sunglasses on our wedding to hide the tears. He was excited to hear about each expected grandchild. You would think he had just one.
He attended christening, communions graduations and our crazy theme parties
He wore silly costumes and participated in our tortuous games.
When he retired he moved down to Florida and would live in nj for only 1/2 the year.
I was lucky enough to travel down to visit yearly. He would take me on his daily long power walks where we talked the entire time. I value each n every conversation.
My dad loved our family unconditionally with his whole heart. Every quirky one of us
He’s going to be missed immensely.
We love you dad!
H
Howard Dunbar lit a candle
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
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Although Pablo (or David as I called him) was my Father-in-Law, he was so much more than that to me. I considered him to be my 2nd Dad. I’ve known David for 41 years and there aren’t enough words in the English or Spanish dictionaries to fully honor him. Some words that you could use to describe the David I knew and loved include: caring, considerate, compassionate, kind, friendly, loving, gentle, mild-mannered, even-tempered, patient, humble and selfless.
To dig down a little deeper into the beautiful person that David was, I personally never heard him say an unkind word to someone or get mad at someone. Instead, he would talk to another person to get past his unhappiness or anger.
David was generous. He loved giving away $20 bills to each of the grand kids every time he saw them and he was always quick to pick up the tab at a restaurant, including our annual family gathering at the Chinese buffet in Toms River, held the day before he traveled back to Florida each winter.
David was a hard worker. He worked full time for the City of Linden. He worked overtime during winter storms on a snow plow. And he worked side jobs, all so that he could provide a good home in a nice neighborhood for his family.
David was a religious man, regularly attending church and not afraid to show his faith by saying short words of prayer in front of others.
Most importantly, David was blessed in his life. He was blessed with 4 children, 13 grandchildren and 14 “great” grandchildren. David loved his family and loved spending time with them (playing with the children, going out for ice cream, taking Sunday trips and going on vacations).
Just as David was blessed, each of us were also blessed to know him and to be part of his life through the years.
David… you earned your angel wings on earth for the past 82 years. And now that our heavenly Father has lifted you up into his arms, you have become a guardian angel to watch over your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and the future generations to come.
David, I love you and you will always be in my heart and in my memories.
J
Jennifer Easter lit a candle
Monday, December 30, 2024
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Pop Pop
How do I even begin to share 40 years of memories in just a few minutes? How do I express in a few words every emotion, accomplishment, life event, laugh, inside joke, Chinese buffet visit, Thanksgiving, Christmas and story shared that I had with the most selfless man I’ve ever known in my life? To put it most simply Pop Pop was a man of calm. He brought a sense peace with him wherever he went that I have yet to see anyone replicate. He was generous to a fault, giving all he had down to his last stick of trident cinnamon gum. He never arrived to a home empty handed, stopping by a store no matter what delays it brought (much to our dismay) to bring bags full of candy bars when we grandkids were little… progressing to liters of soda, gallons of ice cream and fat too many loaves of fresh, preferably PuertoRican, bread as we became adults. Always slipping bills of money into our hands and then later also into the tiny hands of his great grandchildren. We would dodge and weave telling him over and over that the only gift we wanted was more time with him. He’d always win though, hiding the money in a pocket or somewhere in our homes. We found it silly, but to him, it was a symbol to be sure we would know he loved us. Gift giving was most definitely HIS love language and with it he was ALWAYS fair, checking and double checking that he did the same thing for each grandchild for each specific event in life. What I wouldn’t give to hand him back every $20 bill he ever gave me to have even just 20 more minutes with him today. One more hug, one more story, one more twirl on the dance floor.
Pop Pop was the most present Grandfather you could ever have. He was always there for me from dressing in a full suit to walk me to my first day of kindergarten, climbing on top of a refrigerator to play hide and seek with me and my sister, every dance recital, school play, graduation, milestone birthday, even being there within a month of each of my babies being born…no matter how far he had to travel to be there…you knew he was going to be there. He’d sit with a smile, laughing and observing, just taking in the sights and sounds of the family he started as it grew tremendously into 13 grands and 14 great grands with one more on the way. He’s never missed a wedding, hitting the dance floor at each one, never missed a graduation, or birthday party. In my adult life as I get to know more and more people what I thought was “normal” for a grandfather I know now was incredibly rare and extremely special. A blessing I wish I could go back and dwell in once more. He was simply happy to be there. To be together. Enduring and participating in years of dressing up in themes for family meals and humoring us as the most wonderful audience member to countless cousin performances where we sang and danced horribly for hours, he always cheered for us the loudest even while our parents groaned and rolled their eyes. He grinned from ear to ear every time. The fact he didn’t need hearing aides at any point in life simply from those performances is a true miracle in itself.
Selflessness is the resounding trait I keep coming back to over and over as I reflect on the man he was. A trait I only pray I can in some small way carry on in my life now without him.
I know we all are hurting with questions and pain, this wasn’t the ending anyone envisioned for the Patriarch we all loved so much. The loss doesn’t make sense and it leaves us reeling in questions of what ifs, whys, how comes and why didn’ts. So… the question is how do we continue on with the heaviness and weariness we are all feeling so deeply today? How can the very God that Pop Pop loved, revered and honored so much have let us lose him in such a painful way? In times like this I try to turn to Gods word instead of my own understanding. I came across this one today:
Psalm 22 reads
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
We can know that even in our pain he will work all things for our good. And those that trust in him won’t be put to shame, they will be delivered and they will be saved. One thing I know for certain is that Pop Pop trusted Him, he believed in Him and he was saved by Him.
I pray today knowing that truth we can let our what if’s become EVEN if’s. We can let our worship, awe, and love for God always be because of who He is and not be circumstantial or tied to our emotions. Pop Pop would want us to cling to God and not to our hurt. He would want us to live fully, to love each other and to spend as much time as we can continuing to create the beautiful memories that he so loved making with us.
The Lord knows that this does not feel good for anyone here, there is not one unbroken heart in this room. He knows our pain more than we do, he’s experienced the very same pain, anguish, loss and heartache we are feeling right now and still He is worthy of our trust and yielding.
It’s ok to cry out in anguish and pain to the The Lord who Hears, the Lord who Saves, and the Lord who Heals. He is still worthy to be praised. He is near to those who hurt. He will bind up our broken hearts and be close to us in this time of pain.
I fully believe that our Pop Pop is with our Heavenly Father right now, awaiting a great reunion with us all. I don’t think he wanted to leave us, I believe he lost a battle on this side of heaven but he is fully healed and free now. No longer in pain, but now able to take walks and bike rides in the most beautiful landscapes for all of eternity. I believe his jet black hair and wrinkle free mocha skin is fully restored and he’s grinning from ear to ear with his bright white smile wearing all the white gold a man can carry with an ever fresh stick of trident Cinnamon gum and an endless supply of fresh Puerto Rican bread and the strongest cafe bustello espresso known to man. I can’t wait for the day I will be greeted by his loving embrace once again.
If you’re here today and you don’t know the Lord, I pray you find you way to Him so you too can see our amazing Pop Pop again on the other side of heaven. I love you Pop Pop.
B
Brittany Rodriguez uploaded photo(s)
Monday, December 30, 2024
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Popop had the purest heart, always leading with kindness and showing love in everything he did. Whether it was the way he quietly took care of others, the way he always made time to listen, or how he found joy in helping those around him, Popop had a way of making everyone feel valued and safe. His actions taught us the true meaning of compassion, humility, and selflessness.
His legacy is one of love, and the light he brought into our lives will stay with me forever.
- Brittany
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Bri uploaded photo(s)
Sunday, December 29, 2024
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Pop-pop: A stranger to no one. A fan of a good boxing match, the Mets, and any Puerto Rican athlete. A professional shower singer and Sunday chruch-goer. A man who could glue the family together on holidays with a whole lot of love. A good sport for all pranks. A beautiful blank slate for stickers. An appreciator of a good cup of coffee, a Puerto Rican pastry, and the people that they brought together.
This was the man in the front row at all of our greatest accomplishments. The man who ran when he was told he would never walk again. Our very own Muhammud Ali.
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DJ Turner uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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So happy you were able to meet baby Bryelle and be at my wedding Pop Pop! It was truly a blessing to have such a an amazing men to call my Pop Pop! We love you so much!
A
Ariana Dunbar uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Pop-Pop and Maddie took Bri and I on a midnight boat cruise to see a bioluminescent bay on a trip to PR. The crew gave us the option to "swim at our own risk". Of course, we couldn't resist. I swam pretty far away from the boat (living my best life) with Bri screaming at me the whole time to come back closer to the boat.
When I got back onto the boat, I had pretty severe pain up and down my leg. Pop-Pop and Maddie took me to a Walgreens or CVS where there was a pharmacist off duty. She told me it looked like I was stung by a jellyfish and recommended a cream. I was up all night in excruciating pain and by the time I got back to NJ, my skin had turned rainbow (purple, green, red, etc.). The doctor ended up putting me on steroids. Diagnosis: "stung by a large group of smaller jellyfish". He said I didn't feel any pain until I got back onto the boat because my adrenaline was pumping too hard haha.
Poor Pop-Pop felt so guilty returning me home like that. If I could do it all again, I would jump in that water 1,000 times over.
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Ariana Dunbar uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Pop-Pop and I were just reminiscing about the below the day before he passed... I went over to sit with him because he didn't want to watch football with the rest of us, because he said there weren't enough Puerto Ricans involved (on the teams) lol.
We accidentally locked the keys and our cellphones in the car with it running (and low on gas) at the top of an abandoned beach in Puerto Rico. I was the only one with a cellphone not locked in the car but it didn't have data. I can't remember exactly, but I think I was able to make an emergency call but we didn't know how to explain where we were/didn't know the name of the beach. We decided it was time to resort to breaking one of the small back windows of the car so we could reach in and unlock the back door. My Dad went back down to the beach where he found a piece of coral to knock it out. After he broke it, we were THEN informed by Pop-Pop and Maddie that they had forgotten the lock on that side of their car was broken. So my Dad had to break their OTHER back window to finally get us in.
We somehow always seemed to get ourselves into questionable situations together, but I think that says a lot about us - our time was always full of traveling, exploration, adventure, and sometimes risky activity (more to come).
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Daniel uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Diana Rodriguez uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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DADDY, WHAT IF……
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Stephanie Bilardo uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Your greatest joy was your family, and we always felt so loved by you. Thank you for the beautiful memories that we will cherish forever. You will always be in our hearts.
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Paul Rodriguez uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Through every chapter of my life, my father filled the pages with so much laughter and unforgettable memories. From milestone celebrations to the everyday moments that became treasures, Pop Pop brought joy and warmth to us all. Whether it was sharing a laugh with us, lending a hand, or simply being his genuine self, he created a legacy of love that will live on. In the end I truly pray to be half of the man he was.
Your Loving Son Paul
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Alyana Rodriguez uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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His greatest gift was the way he made us feel during moments like this.
This is how we will always remember him-full of life, love and laughter.
Aly
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Tiffany Murphy uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Love you forever ❤️
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Bebe Rodriguez posted a condolence
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Dad, I know you’re never “ready”, but I truly wasn’t. I miss you from the depths of my soul. You are our EVERYTHING. You are the glue that keeps this family together. You taught us about family. About love, respect. You loved hard. You lived to love & give, give, give & never wanted or expected anything in return. You are DAD, POP POP, PABLO, PAUL, SIR, MR RODRIGUEZ. Loved by all. I feel comfort in knowing your soul is at peace, you will never feel lonely or pain ever again, and you are with Taweta wrapped in God’s arms. When we meet again the glory will forever shine. I love you daddy.
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Venus Dunbar uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, December 28, 2024
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Too many wonderful memories to share. I cherish all our vacations, drives and long talks. You’ll forever be in my heart.
Love you more than words can say
Venus
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The family of Pablo David Rodriguez uploaded a photo
Friday, December 27, 2024
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About Us
Kedz Funeral Home began serving the Ocean County community in 1969, and for 32 years built it’s reputation by assisting area families with personal service and attention to detail.
Our Location
Kedz Funeral Home
1123 Hooper Ave Toms River, NJ 08753
732-349-1234Contact Us
Phone: (732) 349-1234
Email Us