Concha "Connie" Gonzales

Mrs. Concha “Connie” Gonzales, 92, passed away Monday, September 5, 2011 at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital. A graveside service will be held at 3:00 PM Friday at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland with visitation from 1:00-3:00 PM at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Ridgeland.

Mrs. Gonzales, was born May 29, 1919 in Lemonville, TX to the late Antonio and Juanita Criollos Rocha. Their family was long time parishioners at St. Richard’s Parrish prior to Connie moving her membership to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Madison. Connie enjoyed working as a waitress/hostess for many years. The first at their family owned business in Jackson, MS, Mexico Lindo. Mexico Lindo was the first Mexican restaurant in Jackson, MS. She continued in the restaurant business at Primos Northgate, Holiday Inn I-55 and Hampton Inn I-55 until her retirement. She was an avid bingo player at the Northside Senior Citizen Center where she enjoyed playing weekly with her daughter, Irene. She was a loving and giving sister, wife, mother, grandmother and mother-in-law who will be missed dearly.

Mrs. Gonzales was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel M. Gonzales; son, John Thomas (J.T.) Gonzales; brothers, Mingo Rocha and Chema Rocha; and grandson, Eddie Pike. She is survived by her sons, Sam Gonzales (Patty) of Manvel, TX, Joseph Gonzales (Lucy) of Chattanooga, TN, and David Gonzales (Kim) of Madison, MS; daughters, Irene Pike (Charlie) of Clinton, MS, Louise Scott (Donnie) of Charlotte, NC, and Mary Sykes (George) of Crystal Springs, MS. She is also survived by her brother, Ventura Rocha of Madrid, Spain; nieces, Elvie Clements (David) of Madison, MS, and Marinella Davis of Jackson, MS; along with 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

The family has requested that memorials may be made to The American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX, 75284 (www.heart.org).