Alicia Gonzalez

She is survived by her sons David (Lani), Paul, Brian (Elia) and Stephen (Sher), her grandsons Davey, Alexander, and Kristopher, her nephew John Nuttall of London, England, her extended family here, across the country, and across the pond. Her husband Alfred Gonzalez, our father, predeceased her in July 2005. Our mother always considered her friends to be family.

She had 91 years of family, life, love, kindness, and adventure. She traveled the globe from her birthplace in Bury, Lancashire, England. She endured World War II as a child, having lost her father at age 9, rations, fear, and poverty. Guided by the strength and moxie from her mother Anne, her older sisters Beatrice, and Florence. It built character, strength, and fortitude that carried our mother to the end.

Our mother was a classical pianist from a young age. Chopin was her favorite. Her career as a Data Entry Supervisor and then Records Supervisor for 35 years at the Tucson Police Department ("TPD") was one of her proudest accomplishments. Retiring at age 78 in April 2007. She worked full-time while she raised four boys to men.

She and our bon vivant father took on the world together with the love of life and adventure, all over the globe, in her many friends, and in her mission of making life better for everyone that she encountered. She had a remarkable ability to say exactly the right thing, to flash her infectious smile, or to make a well-deserved compliment to brighten a day of even strangers. She had an uncanny knack for knowing who might need a well-deserved boost in their day. She made the world much better than when she was born to it. Kind, gentle, loving, and always positive. Always the first to smile, to hug.

Our mother's spirit will live on, like endless ripples across life in her charity, love, and her enduring example. With her many friends at TPD, Pima County before, and Infilco before that, in her charitable work with the American Business Women's Association ("ABWA"), and the Society of Military Widows ("SMW"). She will live on in the family she raised and the family that followed from them. And in the countless people whose lives were brighter from having her in it. For even just a fleeting moment. As an enduring light and as an example for our lives. For so many others.

We will miss you, love. Thank you for all that you did. Thank you for leaving the world better than you found it. Thank you for making us into the men that we are. God bless you.

Due to the pandemic, we could not now have the public service that our social and personable mother deserved so a private ceremony will be held at East Lawn Palms Cemetery. She will be honored by the Tucson Police Department Honor Guard with pallbearers and immediate family only. We apologize to her many friends and family that could not be invited due to the pandemic. We will, however, have a later Celebration of Life, with all invited when it is safe for all to do so. Please come and celebrate with us then.

Our mother was an active ABWA member for over 46 years. She was a five-time National President of ABWA and held every office in between. At the time of her passing, she was President of Chapter 14 SMW, primarily the Southwestern USA. She had too many awards and accolades to list here, but we are anxious to show you her life's work at the celebration. In lieu of flowers, a remembrance can be made "In the Memory of Alicia Gonzalez" to the ABWA woman's scholarship fund, namely the "Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund," a 501(c)(3) charity, to 9820 Metcalf Ave., Ste. 110, Overland Park, KS, 66212 or http://www.sbmef.org/sbmefcontributions.888.

In the alternative, a remembrance can be made in our mother's name to the Society of Military Widows, a 501(c)(4) charity through its webpage at www.militarywidows.org/donations.aspx. Her name can be noted at the "Special Instructions to Seller" portion of the page where credit or debit card information is entered. If preferred, by mail to SMW, Attn: John Mays, PO Box 91997, Washington DC, 20090-1997.