Johanna Van Galen Gates

Johanna Van Galen Gates, age 87, passed away on Thursday, April 7, 2022 in Houston,Texas. Johanna was born January 21, 1935 in Jourdanton, Texas to William John Van Galen and Marie Jurchak.They had four children, Elaine, Patricia, Johanna (Joan) and William Jr. Her mother passed away when she was five years old. Their father did not feel like he could raise four children by himself so placed them in an orphanage in Galveston. He remarried about a year later and brought the kids home. Their stepmother, Berenice, was very demanding. They live in Corpus Christi, Groves and Flour Bluff.

Joan moved away when she was sixteen and worked at the Corpus Christi Caller- Times. She met Richard Robert Gates there and they were married January 7, 1954. They brought four wonderful children into this world. Richard Robert Jr., Deborah Ann, Linda Marie and Judy Lee. Richard worked at the Naval Air Station and Joan was a stay at home mom. She did a great job of raising the kids, keeping the household on budget and cooking delicious meals.

Over the years, she had many devoted loving dogs. She loved traveling around the United States with her husband in their Motor Home. Joan was a loving wife, mother and grandmother who cherished her thirteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. Joan will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

A visitation for Johanna will be held Monday, April 18, 2022 at 12:00 PM at Funeraria Del Angel Crespo - Broadway, 4136 Broadway St., Houston, Texas 77087, followed by a Funeral Service at 1:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crespofuneralhomebroadway.com for the Van Galen Gates family.