Jesus James Gonzalez

Jesus “Jesse” Gonzalez passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by family, on October 7. He was one month shy of his 103rd birthday. The lifelong Redondo Beach resident was the son of Mauro and Maria Gonzalez, the first Mexicans to settle in Redondo Beach in 1905. According to church records, Jesse was the oldest parishioner of St. James Catholic Church, where he was baptized in 1914 and later went on to be an altar boy.

Jesse graduated from Redondo High and met his wife, Betty, at a dance, and they married and had a large family. During World War II, he worked in the shipyard building Navy ships, and then became a longshoreman. Jesse retired at 70 on Betty’s urging, and they spent their spritely senior years traveling the globe together. Jesse loved his family, parties, mariachi and big band music, reading the newspaper, and the Dodgers. He was a member of The Gay 90s Club and The Old Timers Club.

Jesse is survived by his children: Darlene Swartz, Diane (Clark) Feland, Kathleen (Bob) Cupery, James Gonzalez, Mike (Carla) Gonzalez, and John Gonzalez; 14 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 7 great-great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife, Benita “Betty” Gonzalez, and children, Susan Gonzalez (Jim Martin), and Rosemarie (Chuck) Livingston.

There will be a viewing on Sunday, October 15, from 4:30-8:00PM, with rosary service at 6:00 PM, at Lighthouse Memorial and Receptions, White & Day Center, 901 Torrance Bl., Redondo Beach. The funeral is on Monday, October 16, at 10AM, at St. James Catholic Church, 415 Vincent St., Redondo Beach, with burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Project Paz, Mexican earthquake relief efforts at https://epcf.org/mxquake.