Jo Ann Gonzales

Jo Ann Marsden Gonzales departed this earthly world for her heavenly home on February 9, 2025 following a short illness that never once diminished her divine spark or sense of humor. Born on May 31, 1956 in Dallas, Texas to Joe and Nita Marsden, Jo spent most of her childhood in a home on Lakemere Drive that her beloved daddy built with his own two hands. When she wasn’t in Dallas, Jo was at her family’s cattle ranch in East Texas, where she learned to ride horses and grow fruits and vegetables from a young age. She loved her time at the ranch, surrounded by generations of cousins, as much as she loved living on Lakemere Drive, where her Nana and Pa lived only a few doors down. For her entire life, Jo was surrounded by those who loved her.

Jo graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 1974 and drove her powder blue Ford Mustang to Abilene Christian University. She was a proud member of the Sigma Theta Chi sorority, heavily involved in every Sing Song and graduated from ACU in 1978 with a degree in advertising. Jo immediately went to work for some of the best advertising firms in Houston, a career that took a backseat in 1980 when she gave birth to daughter Katie during her first marriage to Bruce Shilcutt. Jo eventually went back to work and made a successful career working for Fogarty & Klein; Winius-Brandon; Bill Bosse & Associates; Stan & Lou; Leo Burnett; Marti, Flores, Prieto & Wachtel; Coca-Cola; and CW39 Houston before “retiring” in 2005 and beginning her second career as a successful personal chef. As anyone who enjoyed her meals over the years can attest, Jo loved to cook and host parties, and became her own boss by doing just that for hundreds of happy clients before finally retiring for a second time in 2024.

Along the way, Jo met the love of her life, Ralph Gonzales, whom she married in 1991. Together Jo and Ralph built a happy home that was the center of their familial and social lives and the site of countless Thanksgiving buffets, Christmas dinners and birthday brunches. Rarely has a couple been so committed to each other as Jo and Ralph, both active members of Memorial Church of Christ, keen gardeners (and frequent Yard of the Month winners) and devoted pet parents to many spoiled dogs over the years, including Jo’s “soul dog,” Niblets. Jo nourished both people and pets throughout her life, and her loss will be keenly felt in the absence of her beef bourguignon and sour cream pound cake, in the absence of her tablescapes and themed decorations at ladies’ Bible class luncheons at church, in the absence of her carefully crafted dinner party menus and homegrown herbs that brightened every dish, in the absence of her perpetually thoughtful Christmas and birthday gifts, in the absence of her continual Facebook posts and prayers.

Jo is survived by her husband, Ralph Gonzales; her daughter, Katharine Shilcutt and son-in-law John Ermis; stepsons Michael (Jodi) Gonzales, Eric (Melanie) Gonzales and Matthew (Brandi) Gonzales; and many loving friends and family who mourn her passing. A funeral service will be held February 15 at 10:30 a.m. at Memorial Church of Christ, 900 Echo Ln., Houston, TX. In the spirit of Jo’s enthusiasm for gathering others together, all are welcome. “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” — Psalm 46:5.