Sadie Gonzalez

Sadie Gonzalez was born and raised in the communities of Otay and National City, where she grew up surrounded by a large and lively family. One of 17 children, she shared her childhood with 16 siblings, an experience that shaped her strong sense of family, resilience, and connection that remained central to her life.

She attended Kelsey-Jenney College, where she studied business before beginning her career as a seamstress for Ratner, sewing men’s suits in the historic Western Metal Supply Company building in downtown San Diego. She later dedicated 30 years of service to UC San Diego, and after retiring from there, continued working for the County of San Diego before eventually enjoying her full retirement.

Sadie met the love of her life, David Gonzalez, through her sister Bernice. Their story began with a date to the horse races—something Sadie happily agreed to, as she always enjoyed a little excitement. That first date led to a lifelong partnership filled with laughter, adventure, and a deep commitment to family. They married in June of 1961 and built their life together in San Diego. David preceded her in death, as did Debbie and Ben.

Family was always the center of Sadie’s world. She was a devoted mother to Danny, Gloria, Donna, Diane, and Debbie and lovingly embraced Ben and Della as part of the family she and David built together. Over the years, that family continued to grow, and she was especially proud of her 20 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

Sadie had a creative spirit and a deep love for crafting. She spent countless hours sewing and making thoughtful creations for the people she loved, including Raggedy Ann dolls, jean purses, folding blankets, beach towel bags, and memorial blankets made from meaningful pieces of clothing. During the pandemic, she lovingly sewed masks for family and friends. In the kitchen, she was known for her homemade peanut brittle, and she had a well-known sweet tooth—especially when it came to donuts and Costco cake.

She also enjoyed the excitement and fun of casinos and bingo, hobbies that brought her many happy moments and plenty of stories over the years.

Sadie’s life was defined by her love for family, her creativity, and the joy she found in the simple moments spent with those she loved. Her legacy lives on through the generations of family who will continue to carry her memory forward.

She is survived by her children Danny, Gloria, Donna, Diane and Della; along with the many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren who were blessed to call her grandma.

A visitation will be held at Funeraria Del Angel National City, located at 607 National City Boulevard, National City, CA 91950, on March 18, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The funeral service will take place at Saint Jude's Shrine of the West, located at 1129 S 38th St, San Diego, CA 92113, on March 19, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.