Viola Marie Gonzales

Viola Marie Gonzales, age 91, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Sunday, March 22, 2020 to join her husband, Larry, in Heaven. Viola was introduced to the world on March 10, 1929 by her parents, Cipriono & Eulalia Garduno. She grew up with nine brothers and sisters. Her early memories were of a simple semi-rural life in the wake of the Great Depression in Aguilar, Colorado at the foot of the Sangre De La Christo mountains and the Spanish Peaks.

Viola’s family moved the 20 miles to Trinidad when she was in High School. In High School, she hung out with her cousins Tivy and Dorothy Garduno. Viola sang in the High School Chorus for four years and graduated in 1948. In Trinidad, she met her husband, Larry, when he offered to give her a ride back to her house after roller skating at Skateland. After Larry returned from World War II, they married. Shortly after marrying, Larry & Viola moved to Pueblo, where they started building a family in a tiny 20x20 foot shack. They moved to Colorado Springs a few years later, where they continued to raise their six children: Lorenzo, Judy, Mitchell, Victor, Elaine, and Stephanie.

The family’s old house in Colorado Springs on Las Vegas Street holds many fond memories for her children. A typical childhood day for the family would have Larry out back working on the yard, Victor playing his guitar, while Viola laying out patterns in the living room. Meanwhile, Larry’s hijitas Elaine and Stephanie ran around the house playing. All with the faithful guard dog Husky in the background, then later, Toby the lap dog.

As well as a mother, Viola was a part time teacher and a skilled seamstress. She spent many a day making dresses and clothes on consignment. Many of her crafts are still in use today by her children.

In Violas later years, she continued to be close to her children. She would spend hours and hours on the phone with them catching up. She especially enjoyed visits by her grandchildren and the great-grandchildren. She is survived by her sons and daughters Lorenzo, Mitchell, Victor, Elaine, and Stephanie, and many great grandchildren, including her name-sake Viola Rizo.