Obituary of Patty Rodriguez Danzer

Patricia Rodriguez Danzer, known as Patty to her friends and as Granny to her family, passed away peacefully on Valentine’s Day morning in Capitola at the age of 86.
Born in Cranston, Rhode Island to John and Mildred Fallon (maiden name Crowley), she moved to Silver Spring Maryland with her younger sisters, Judy and Gail, when her father was assigned a position in the Pentagon after the war. Her brother Johnny was born soon after.
She married Frank Anthony “Tony” Rodriguez Sr. in December 1959. They soon had Tony Jr, Holly, and then Cyndi.  Sometime later they added a cat named Barf and a dog, Pucci.
In 1974 our family moved to Santa Cruz, where our dad became a Partner at the local British Leyland dealer. She helped at the dealership during the day but was also a full-time mom.  Santa Cruz was a challenge then with three teenagers who had become raging beach party lovers. She was patient with us as we struggled through school and the drama of all the boyfriends and girlfriends who came and went. She waited up late at night for us until we returned home from parties, usually in pretty bad condition, and was always sweet, saying “I’m just glad you are home. I love you. Get to sleep.”  
She loved almost everyone and most loved her. Not a birthday was uncelebrated, nor a meal missed. She was mom to us   and to our friends, many of whom spent more time at the Rodriguez house than their own.
After we got older, she began working at Santa Cruz County Bank and was there for over 15 years. She enjoyed working with customers and especially enjoyed meeting with her colleagues after work for a glass of wine. 
Sadly, in 1988, her first husband, our father, Tony died. She later married Byron Danzer, and they lived happily in Seascape until he passed 2002.  
 After retiring, Patty volunteered at the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department.  She loved her job there taking down bad guys and made many friends with the deputies, whom she called “Her Boys”. The Boys adopted Granny as one of their own, giving her a shirt with a sheriff’s badge emblazoned on it. She also avidly enjoyed following the baseball career of her grandson Pete Jr. and was Granny to all his high school and college teammates.
Patty is survived by her children Tony and his wife Naoko, Holly and her husband Brian, and Cyndi and her ex-husband Jude, by her stepdaughter Michelle Danzer and by Peter “Big Pete” Feurtado, Holly’s first husband. She is also survived by her grandchildren and their spouses, Pete Jr., his wife Chelsey, Fallon Feurtado, Mark Ritenour, and wife Reina, Katie Feurtado, Elle Latta, and Anthony and Hana Rodriguez. She is also survived by her great grandchildren Mia, and Ace, who came into this world just hours before her passing.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association.
A service will be held on Tuesday, February 27 at Pacific Chapel on Cayuga Street at 1 PM, reception following.