Marcus Raphael Gonzales-DeCardenas

Marcus Raphael Gonzales-DeCardenas passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2022. He was a proud, native Dallasite who graduated from the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Over the years, Marcus worked tirelessly in the food service industry, where he first adopted his moniker of “Markeisha”–and eventually, “Keisha”. He took pains to help everyone he served to feel welcome and at home, whether it was with a warm compliment, a cute drawing, or a personalized note (in his flashy and stylish–albeit woefully illegible handwriting). “Keisha” on the other hand, kept things moving in order to get to the next table!

Marcus enjoyed a vast and eclectic array of interests. While he enjoyed laughing with his friends, he regularly had his nose in everything from Vogue or the New Yorker, to the Greek classics, from math or physics books to Chuck Palahniuk, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, or David Sedaris. His palate appreciated everything from McDonald’s french fries to haute cuisine–not unlike his viewing habits. Though “Keisha” had a fondness for indie and arthouse films, he was never above his beloved SNL skits, Southpark, or Trixie Mattel and Katya’s UNHhhh.

His taste in music was no different. He listened to an array of genres: jazz standards, new wave, post punk, grunge, bossa nova, and indie music. He loved Satchmo and Ella Fitzgerald as much as The Velvet Underground or Belle and Sebastian. Marcus listened to everyone from David Bowie to Billie Holiday, from Portishead to Nina Simone, from the Flaming Lips to Al Green to Barry White and Bauhaus. Whether it was Dinah Washington, The Go! Team, or Etta James–he loved all of it.

Marcus was creative and an avid seeker of knowledge. He loved completing The New York Times Crossword (and texting you for help the few times he got stuck). He regularly drew colorful, swirly doodles, worked on math equations, baked cookies for his family and friends, listened to online lectures, and visited museums. “Keisha” loved haute couture and trashy chic–but still appreciated classic, timeless elegance. He was a whiz at math and a talented writer, who had a biting tongue and acerbic wit with a surprising insightfulness beyond his years.

Marcus’ family and friends will miss his laughter and hugs, his wildly irreverent and inappropriate humor, and calls or texts at the craziest times of day. They’ll always remember him as a candid, intelligent, and humorous person, with a nimble mind and unique approach to the world.

Marcus is survived by his parents, his family, and numerous friends. His memorial service will take place on Friday, July 8, 2022 at Grove Hill Funeral Home from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Dallas Museum of Art in memory of Marcus R. Gonzales-DeCardenas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Grove-Hill.com for the Gonzales-DeCardenas family.