Rodolfo was a proud veteran of the United States Army. He was happy to pull out his map of Korea and start talking about his time in the military with anybody. He attended Infantry
School in Ft Benning, GA, for airborne military training in May 1950 and obtained his Parachute/Glider Badge in July 1950. He obtained a Korean Service Medal with Arrow Head (denoting participation in an amphibious landing or airborne attacks) and 4 Campaign Stars in 1952. He also obtained an Occupation Medal (Japan). He was honorably discharged in July 1952.
Upon return to civilian life, Rodolfo worked as a farm hand doing sheep shearing. Through correspondence courses he taught himself how to fix televisions and was well known for being the T.V. repairman in the Chihuahua neighborhood. He was often found outside working on televisions in his shed.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 68 years, Anabelia Ortiz Cardenas, and his children: Patricia Paniagua (Abelardo Jr.), Mary Sears (Sherman), Alicia Hotchkiss (Robert), Romelia Mata, Rodolfo Cardenas Jr. (Maria), Rosa Linda Martinez (Fernando), and Eduardo Cardenas (Maria), in addition to numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, his remaining brother Jose Cardenas and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pall bearers are Abelardo Paniagua, Jr., Abelardo Paniagua III, Caleb Clark, Edric Cardenas, Robert Hotchkiss and Rudy Mata.
