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BENJAMIN RODRIGUEZ II

Benjamin Francis Rodriguez II, 44, of Murphysboro, IL, formerly of Glen Dale, WV, died Thursday, November 1, 2018, at home.

Dr. Rodriguez was born December 14, 1973 in Wheeling, WV, son of Mary Sue (Materkoski) Rodriguez and the late Benjamin F. Rodriguez I.

He graduated from The Linsly School in 1992. He then earned his B.A. at Yale University and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Catholic University of America. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont and a post-doctoral fellowship at Brown University Consortium. He was an Associate Professor of Psychology at Southern Illinois University.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Walter and Helen Materkoski, paternal grandparents, Bienvenido and Helen Marie Rodriguez, and his great-grandparents, Louis and Elizabeth Canestraro, John and Stella Materkoski, Joseph and Kathryn Reilly, and Modesto and Alexandra Rodriguez. His adored cat Spike was also waiting for him in the great beyond.

As well as his mother, he is survived by his sister, Rachel Rodriguez of Durham, NC; aunts, Rosanna (Steve) Latacz of Wheeling, WV, Helen (Doug) Zacheryl of Shayside, OH, Jamie (Murat) Atac of Paris, France, and Kathryn Pownall of Wellsburg, WV; uncles, Brian (Marlene) Rodriguez of New Martinsville, WV, Bruce (Steve Lingo) Rodriguez of San Francisco, CA; Goddaughters, Maria Banks of Jacksonville, NC and Olivia Adams of Glen Dale, WV; 12 first cousins, several additional aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his beloved cats Drusilla, Darla and Lucifer.

Friends will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Thursday, at the Altmeyer Funeral Home, Lutes & Kirby-Vance Chapel, 118 Grant Avenue, Moundsville, where a vigil service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m, Friday, November 9, 2018, at St. Jude Catholic Church, Glen Dale, with the Rev. John Ledford as celebrant.

Interment will follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling, WV.

Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Thomas More Catholic Center and Chapel at Yale University, 268 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06511 (stm.yale.edu/annual-giving), and Southern Illinois University Foundation, Department of Psychology in memory of Benjamin Rodriguez, Colyer Hall, Mail Code 6805, 1235 Douglas Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901 cola.siu. edu/psychology/giving.

Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.altmeyerfuneralhomes.com.