Sergeant (retired) First Class Julio Casillas Gonzales Jr. served honorably for 20 years in the U.S. Army, from 31 October 1956 to 31 October 1976 as a Combat Medic. He completed Dental Assistant training and was selected to be trained as Dental Lab Technician at MFSS, Fort Sam Houston. His first assignment was with the 536th General Dispensary, Hindenburg Kasern, Ansbach Germany.
In 1959, he returned to Fort Sam Houston, where he worked in the Central Dental Laboratory, DC #1, and Rhodes DC. In 1966, he volunteered to deploy to Vietnam and was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He was then promoted to Staff Sergeant and was selected to be the NCOIC of Oral Surgery, where he worked with a Maxillofacial Prosthodontist and Oral Surgeons to rehabilitate soldiers with head and neck trauma. In 1969, he returned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas and was assigned to the Regional Dental Lab.
In 1974, he was promoted to Sergeant First Class and selected to work as the First Sergeant of the Regional Dental Lab in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1976, SFC Gonzales returned to San Antonio, Texas. SFC Gonzales received the Army Commendation Medal (2nd OLC), National Defense Medal, and Good Conduct Medal (7th award), while he served. He went on to work at The University of Texas San Antonio Dental School and later took a GS position with the Air Force and retired.
Outside of Julio’s military service, he was very active in the Lion’s Club, a member of the Fabulous 50’s, a member of the VFW Post 76, and a Canary Islanders Descendant. In his free time, he loved spending time with family and friends, golfing, and fishing.
Julio is preceded in death by his mother, Josefina Casillas Gonzales; brothers, Joe and Carlos Gonzales; sister, Antonia De Los Santos; and beloved son, Johnny Everest Gonzales.
Julio is survived by his wife, Theresa Gonzales; brother, Roger Gonzales; sister, Sylvia Mancillas; children: Julio Gonzales III, Cynthia Phelps, Monica Barrett, and Camille Zunker; grandchildren: Kory Horton, Jessica Nunez, Patricia Paschedag, John Gonzales, Julia Connelly, John Phelps IV, and Briana Zunker; and 6 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Thursday, March 20, 2025, at Porter Loring Mortuary North, beginning at 10:00am for immediate family, then 11:00am for friends and other guests. The funeral service will begin at 12:00pm. Graveside services will take place after the service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 2:00pm, with military honors.
