Sr. Gonzalo C. Mendez

Gonzalo Mendez Chavez was born in a small southern Mexican city of Tamazula Jalisco, with its green rolling hills of sugar cane on January 4, 1928. He comes from a very a large family he is the third of twelve children six sisters and five brothers. The family had a bakery business and he apprentice with his father at a very young age and became a master baker at seventeen.

At age 23 he traveled to the United States and started his adventure in different jobs until he settle at Rohr Industries where he worked for thirty-two plus years. There was given the nick name of the general. When his co-workers were asked why was he given that nick name; they said that he was one of the most hard working an honest man they knew.

He married Manuela (Nellie) Rangel on May 18, 1961; they were next door neighbors since childhood. They had a very loving marriage, they traveled, and they belong to a couple of camping clubs. He was very active in his community he belonged to the Leons Club and The Cursillos. At age fifty-five he ran his first 10K marathon and always finished in the top twenty for his age group and won several medals. His favorite sports was deer hunting.

He had many God children nieces and nephews some of which saw him as a second father. He was very giving and was always there for advice and support to all his extended family. His friendships have extended through many years. He was considered the Godfather of the family.

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Gonzalo Mendez Chavez:

Nacio en Tamazula, Jalisco con sus hermosos valles verdez de caña de azucar. El dia 4 de Enero de 1928.

Pertenecia a una familia numerosa, 6 hermanos y 6 hermanas siendo el tercero de la familia.

Ellos tubieron su negocio familiar de panaderia, aprendio con su padre a una edad muy temprana, siendo maestro panadero a los 17 años.

A la edad de 23 años viajo a los Estados Unidos De America, empesando su aventura en diferentes trabajos hasta establecerse en la compania de Rohr Industries, trabajo por mas de 32 años dode le llamaron “ General”. Se les pregunto a sus compañeros porque lo nombraban asi y la respuesta fue: “Es uno de los hombres mas trabajadores, honestos y respetuosos que conocemos.”

Se caso con Manue Rangel el 18 de Mayo de 1961. Ellos se conocieron en su ciadad natal Tamazula , Jalisco Mexico desde chicos fueron vecinos, tubieron un matrimonio estable y felix, viajaron mucho.

Pertenecia al Club de “Leones”, dos clubs con los cuales viajaba en su motorhome, al grupo de Cursillistas, en los cuales hizo muchos amigos que lo apreciaron.

A la edad de 55 años corrio su primer marathon de 10 kilometros. Finalizando en los primos 20 lugares en el grupo de su edad, ganando varias medallas. La “cazeria” fue su deporte favorite.

Tuvo muchos sobrinos, ahijados que algunos lo consideraban como su Segundo padre, fue generoso todo el tiempo les daba concejos, apoyando siempre a la familia cuando lo necesitaban.

“Algunos lo consideraron el Padrino de la Familia”