Marcelo Rodriguez, who lives at Marian Residence in Santa Maria, is celebrating his 105th birthday today.

He will enjoy cake with his family and friends at Marian Residence, and go out to dinner Saturday with his family.

Rodriguez was born April 24, 1903, in Chiquilistlan, Guadalajara, Mexico. He is one of a family of eight children, with three boys and five girls.

He has two sons, Paul and Frank Rodriguez, three grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Rodriguez started working when he was 7 years old, he said, when his father was killed because of jealousy over his ranch hacienda. Rodriguez picked corn and took care of cattle and horses to support his family. He attended a week of primary school before he was pulled out.

At 24 years old, he went to Williams, Ariz., to work at the Saginaw lumber mill industry as a lumberjack.

He volunteered with the Civilian Conservation Corps for three years during World War I.

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In 1930, he married Antonia Figueroa of Penjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico. He worked as a baggage handler for Santa Fe Railroad for 29 years, and retired in 1968 at age 65.

After retirement, Rodriguez moved to Santa Maria because he has family in the city, including a son, Frank Rodriguez, and his family. He has another son, Paul Rodriguez, in Jackson, Calif., and nephews in the Bay Area and Oxnard.

He counts his greatest accomplishments as learning to speak English, getting an honest job in the United States, owning a home (in Williams, Ariz.), and teaching himself to read despite not attending school.

He likes golf, dogs, horses, ranchera music, movies about boxers, and baseball games. His favorite book is the Bible, in English and Spanish.

Bettina Adragna can be reached by phone at 739-2220, or by e-mail at badragna@santamariatimes .com.