Genevieve Mary Gonzalez

Genevieve, an only child, was born on November 16, 1927 in El Paso, Texas. She graduated from El Paso High School in 1944 and went on to attend the College of Mines and Metallurgy, later renamed The University of Texas at El Paso. While there, she earned college degrees in Spanish and in Education. She earned both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees.

Genevieve taught at San Jacinto Elementary for 7 years and at Burges High School for 20 years. She not only taught Spanish but also helped establish and sponsor a Spanish club which later became the Spanish Honor Society. During her tenure at Burges, she was awarded a summer fellowship at the University of Arizona sponsored by the National Defense Act where teachers from throughout the country attended and gained new educational experiences. In 1973, she was named one of 14 EPISD Outstanding Educators. In 1975, she was promoted to the position of Northeast Area Modern Language Consultant for Spanish and Spanish curriculum. In 1981, she was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Texas to serve on the state’s Bilingual Education Committee where she was instrumental in creating the state mandate for Bilingual Education. Genevieve loved every aspect of her career in education. Then, in 2017, a former student honored her with a donation to the Paso Del Norte Community Foundation to establish a scholarship fund in her name for graduating seniors from EPISD who have an interest in pursuing a career in foreign language.

Genevieve also passed her love of learning to her children and emphasized the importance of getting a good education to them. She never missed a school event where her children performed. She was always encouraging and supportive of their endeavors. Not only was Genevieve a very loving mother, she was also a very loving daughter, wife, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Genevieve had a love of animals and of music; big band, 1950’s era, and mariachi music were some favorite genres. She and Alfonso loved to dance. She made frequent donations to animal shelter and rescue groups. She and Alfonso cared for a feral cat colony and found homes for several kittens. Alfonso continues with this work.

Genevieve and Alfonso traveled extensively throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the United States enjoying the cuisine, the sites, the history, and the people they met along the way.

A lifelong member of the Catholic Church, Genevieve had great faith in the power of prayer. Her children were raised in the church also, and this fostered a deep reverence and love of God and his son, Jesus Christ.

Genevieve’s parents, Julius Martin and Herlinda Draeger, preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, Alfonso, of 68 years and three children, Leola Knudsen (Steven) and their 4 children, Jonathan Walker (Martina), Jess Walker (Mary), Emelia Morehead (Samuel), and Alaina Walker all from Leander, Cedar Park, Liberty Hill, and Georgetown, Texas and her daughter Rosanna Gonzalez of Plano, Texas ,and her son, Richard Gonzalez and his daughter Kristine Gonzalez from El Paso. She is also survived by eleven great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm in Hillcrest Funeral Home East.

Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 10:00 am in Our Lady Guadalupe Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Ft. Bliss National Cemetery at 1:30 pm.

Donations may be made to the Genevieve Gonzalez Scholarship Fund, a fund of the Paso Del Norte Community Foundation online at www.pdnfoundation.org or by check to Genevieve Gonzalez Fund, c/o Paso del Norte Community Foundation at 221 N. Kansas Street, Suite 1900, El Paso, Texas 79901. If contributing by check, please include Genevieve Gonzalez Scholarship Fund in the memo.

Funeral services are under the direction of Hillcrest Funeral Home 1060 N Carolina Dr. El Paso, TX. 79915 (915)589-3332.