Willie Godinez

Gillermo "Willie" Godinez, devoted husband & father, beloved grandfather & great-grandfather, passed away on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at age 90. To say we will miss him is the greatest understatement.

Willie was born in Fort Collins, Colorado on February 10, 1934 to Jesus and Augustina (Ayala) Godinez. He was one of six boys and the kind of brother and father anyone would be grateful to have: patient and kind. It was easy to tell the kind of person he was by seeing how he treated people, the way he always kept his word, and by his endless source of patience and funny jokes for friends and strangers alike.

Willie met a young waitress, Joann, at his mother’s cafe. He began walking her home after her shifts and they dated throughout high school. They were married and raised three daughters: Geraldine, Debra and Cindy. Willie lovingly referred to Joann as his honeybunch. He and Joann were inseparable during their wonderful years of marriage. They experienced many adventures in their life together. In their early years of marriage, they went on many fishing and camping trips throughout the Front Range, drove their motorhome across the US, and made lifelong friends along the way.

Willie will always be known for his loyalty and work ethic. He began working at a young age to help support his family after his father's death. Throughout his life, as an entrepreneur and family man, he strove to give back to his community through philanthropy and his church, the Holy Family Catholic Church. During his career in Fort Collins, Willie co-founded the El Burrito restaurant in 1960 and operated alongside his brother until 1980. He also invested in real estate, among others business ventures. He was also a restaurateur and real estate investor during the latter part of his career in California, before returning home to Colorado in retirement.

Willie got his entrepreneurial spirit from this mother, Augustina, who founded the first Mexican food restaurant in Fort Collins, the Sinaloa Cafe. When he was 10 years old, Willie helped to run a two-pump filling station where five gallons of gas cost $0.90 and he was paid in bottles of Coca-Cola. When he was 11, he helped run a family member's grocery store, stocking the shelves from a nearby wholesaler. He picked crops, including cherries and beans, alongside his family. When he was in the 10th grade, he joined the National Guard, where he served four years. Willie graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1953, lettering in football, wrestling, and track and played on the state championship football team in 1952. His teammates called him "GOGO" Godinez. In 1975, he was named an Honor Alumnus, the first Mexican American to receive the honor.

He loved his children so very much, though there is a chance he relished being a grandpa and great-grandpa even more. He was incredibly proud to have so many beautiful grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He always said he wished he could have spent even more time with his family and to know his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as he knew his daughters.

He left our lives and we are heartbroken, but we know that his spirit will live on through his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Thank you, dad and mom, for all the love and support you showed us.

We will be celebrating his life at Resthaven Funeral Home & Memory Gardens on Saturday, August 31st with a Praying of the Rosary at 10:30am, Memorial Service at 11am and Committal at 12pm. A lunch reception will follow.

Willie is preceded in death by his wife, Joann; his daughter, Geraldine and son-in-law John; parents, Jesus and Augustina; and four brothers, Joe, Nick, Cruz and Jesse Godinez.

He is survived by his brother, Augie Godinez (Rosie); and his daughters, Debra Intlekofer (Tom) and Cindy Midkiff. He is cherished by his grandchildren Anna Pando, Garth Lumb, Grant Lumb, Angie Peach (Cory), and Christopher Midkiff (Sarah); and adored by his great-grandchildren Connor Peach, Collin Peach, Ryan Kwiecien and Cameron Peach.