Ernest M. Gonzales

Ernest M. Gonzales passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Ernest was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Brackenridge Elementary, Mark Twain Junior High and Fox Tech High School. When Ernest was a very young boy, he rode in the cab of his Daddy's Model T Truck and they hauled dirt from the huge pit that became Woodlawn Lake. When Ernest was 10 he would crawl under houses to dig holes to help his dad level those houses. As an adolescent he was most proud of his very first job at Joske's Department Store in downtown San Antonio where he worked as a busboy in the cafeteria. Ernest went to sea when he was 16 years old and that career took him from the ships mess, to the Navy Signal Corps, to being Chief Engineer Pumpman on the Exxon North Slope, one of the first supertankers. Before the North Slope, he shipped out on the Esso Baltimore, the Bangor,and the Gettysburg to name a few. He was a very proud member of his union and served as a Union representative when he worked for Exxon. He traveled the world over and had many adventures.

Ernest was a devoted son to his mother Elizabeth and his father Hilario. Whenever he came to shore, he would head home to San Antonio. There would be huge celebration with his four sisters and four brothers and all the extended family. Uncle Nana, as he was known, was a favorite uncle always ready for fun.

In the early 60's Ernest's strength got him a spot on the Esso Longboat Rowing Team after a member of the team saw him remove 18 huge bolts from a large valve without stopping. His lovely wife Virginia accompanied him to the first competition and was a favorite of the team. In New York City they competed on the Hudson River against the Norwegian team in the International Life Boat Race. President Kennedy sent the team a congratulatory telegram. He met Virginia West in her hometown Newport News, Virginia and they married in 1960. He took her to San Antonio, Texas where they raised their six girls. Ernest created sturdy hammocks, tire swings and a wooden playhouse for his girls and all the neighborhood kids to enjoy. Ernest and Virginia took their girls to the Texas Coast, to visit family in southern California and to many happy Thanksgivings with their cousins in Falfurrias, Texas.

Ernest's work took him away for months at a time, but when he was home, he would attend school activities to see his girls play softball, cheer, dance, sing, swim or act. He enjoyed football games at Alamo Stadium. He was very generous with all his daughters, tailoring and designing prom dresses, outfitting a daughter with camping gear or creating a costume for his granddaughter. He had many talents.

In 1981,14 years after their last daughter's birth, they were blessed with another daughter! They enjoyed having a little one in the house again. After Virginia's death in 1992, Ernest raised his youngest daughter Lillie (Daughter No. 6) who was only 11 with help from his daughter Susan (Daughter No. 5). He was happy to have Lillie's friends over, and loved to barbecue for them. In 2000, Ernest married a childhood friend and lived with her on the West Coast. Her son's have great affection for Ernest and were glad he was there to take care of her as her health worsened.

In 2010, while living in Oregon, Ernest's health took a turn and his daughters brought him home to Texas. Every single daughter did what she could to help him maintain his health and re-settle in San Antonio. He moved in with Rebecca (Daughter No. 4) at her house across from Woodlawn Lake, the lake Ernest's daddy helped create. Ernest loved to use the leaf blower, and mow Rebecca's (and the neighbor's) lawns. Even at the age of 85, he was known to climb up on the roof to remove broken branches. Always neatly dressed and with a baseball cap on his head, Ernest loved to sit on Rebecca's front porch and watch the joggers and bicyclists go around the lake. He always waved at the city workers and had a greeting for everyone.

Ernest was preceded in death by his father Hilario Gonzales, his brother Robert (Bobby) Gonzales, his mother Elizabeth Gonzales and his wife, Virginia. Also, his brother-in-law Rico Garcia, his sister Irene Garcia, his sister-in-law Evangeline Gonzales, his brother Rudolph (Diddo) Gonzales, his brother-in-law Guadalupe Rodriguez, sister Annie Rodriquez, nephews Marty Garcia, Ernie Garcia and Enrique Rodriguez. Ernest is survived by his daughters, Eva M. Gonzales, Virginia G. Smith (husband Mark), Ernestine (Tina) Warren (husband John), Rebecca Gonzales, Susan Viola (husband Steve), Lillie Gonzales and Virginia's sister Eunice Menke. Grandchildren, Miles Ellison (wife Lori), Charlotte Ellison (partner Trae Vaughn), Denver Smith (wife Stormie), Rio Smith, Eloise Warren, and Jerod Viola. Also great grandchildren Kaidance Smith, Jayden Vaughn, Klide Smith, Camron Ellison, Brooklyn Vaughn and Evelyn Ellison. Sisters, Alice Navarro and Dorothy Falcon, brothers Joseph Gonzales (wife Mary), Sam Gonzales and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Home Pall bearers: Sam Gonzales, John Warren, Mark Smith, Steve Viola, Miles Ellison and Denver Smith.

Gravesite Pallbearers will be The Gonzales Girls. They will carry him one last time because he has always carried them.