Manuel N. Gonzales

Manuel Noe Gonzales was born in Dilley, TX on May 24, 1945, and passed on September 15, 2020 in Houston, TX. He was an active and engaged 75-year old with the heart of a young man. He lived for his wife and boys, and never met a stranger. His friendliness was often too much for the people he met, but he didn’t care. He lived on his own terms, and was confident in himself and his ability to help others.

He is survived by Rosa Linda Gonzales, his wife of 51 years, and his three loving sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren: Randolph Gonzales, Brittani Pena and Noah of Houston, TX; Joshua Gonzales, Ligia Salamanca, Chris, Jorge, Johnny and Nathalia of McDade and Dayton, TX; and Matthew Gonzales and Elena Antonaci of Brooklyn, NY. A child of a large family, he is preceded in death by his parents, and numerous brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. He leaves behind many family members, and friends who will miss hearing his jokes and laughter.

When he spoke of death, he often referenced the song, “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, adopted from the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) by Pete Seeger and made popular by the folk group, The Byrds in 1965. He spoke of the inevitability of death and emphasized that it was a natural part of life that should not be feared. He loved life, but was accepting of and at peace with death.

He will be laid to rest at Houston National Cemetery with his fellow veterans. He is loved and will be missed forever. To his family and friends he would probably say, “Catch you on the flip side!”