James Gonzales

Born in Peru on September 12th, 1959, James was the first child of his parents Maria Angelica Hospina and Juan Augusto Gonzales. He was the oldest of eight children and his parents first pride and joy. James grew up in the south and central part of Peru, near the majestic Andes Mountains where, as a boy, he and his brothers Hans and Ricardo loved exploring the mountains, going on hiking adventures and hunting expeditions.

Throughout his life, James had a thirst for knowledge. From a very early age he excelled at the International School in Arequipa. No matter what was going on, he always found joy in learning. His siblings fondly remember young James building robots, absorbing books and articles like a sponge and even helping them with their homework. He was always striving to be the best at everything he did. But James' passion wasn't just for academics - he was an amazing athlete too! An avid swimmer and ping pong player, James won many medals for swimming and even started the very first ping pong team at his high school where, of course, he also excelled. He was truly an inspiration for all his siblings and friends.

After high school, at the age of 21, James was filled with a passion and drive to help his family. In the face of immense tragedy, having lost two siblings in a terrible car accident, James made the bold decision to leave his home in Peru and pave a new path for his family in the US and moved to San Antonio, Texas. Through sheer determination and hard work, he quickly rose the ranks to become a manager at Ninfa’s Restaurant and TJ Friday. During his time in the restaurant business, James discovered his passion for cooking. Not only was James an amazing cook, but he had a gift for creating unique recipes and connecting with people through food. That talent granted him the opportunity to move to Kerrville, Texas and help open the first Mamacits Restaurant in the 90’s. That restaurant was his pride and joy. It meant so much to him as it represented all he had accomplished in America. With that fire in him, he set his sights on an even bigger goal and started attending UT Austin to peruse his real dream of becoming and engineer.

After graduating as an electrical engineer on August 7th, 1993, James' knowledge and skills were recognized by major companies like Sony and Samsung. While pursuing an exciting career, James embarked on a new journey as a father of three children.

James was a big dreamer and always extremely devoted to his work. At times his fast-paced life caused him to drift away in pursuit of his goals and desires. However, from afar he always found a way to be present in the lives of his family. Like any of us he made mistakes along the way, but those life lessons became his families’ greatest teachers. During his most challenging moments, James found his peace and spiritual fulfillment through his deep faith. He was a devoted Catholic Christian who loved attending church regularly to nourish his soul.

James was one of those individuals who lit up every room with his warm smile and hearty laugh. His kind heart touched all who knew him. He approached life with passion and lived each day striving for peace. Those of us fortunate enough to know James saw someone who always gave his best. He was an incredibly generous and loving person who devoted himself fully to everything. To the day he fell ill, James continued to enjoy hobbies like dancing and ping pong, he excelled at his job as an engineer at Tower Semi-Conductor and was looking forward to enjoying a life of peace. Even while in the hospital James was a true warrior, fighting for his life until his last breath surrounded by whole family.

Above all, James will be remembered for his loving and kind heart. Even through tough times, James never lost his smile or sense of humor. He always faced every challenge with grace and optimism, inspiring everyone who knew him.

James will be deeply missed by his mom, kids, sibling, wife and all who knew him. He is survived by his mother Maria Angelica Gonzales, daughters Izzy Gonzales and Sofia Gonzales, son Kevin Gonzales and his wife Alma Villarreal. As a family we are honored to have been part of his life and our hearts fill with joy knowing he is now resting in peace in the presence of our Lord.

We will always remember his kind spirit, great cooking and his ability to always find the bright side. He will continue to live in our hearts and his memory will bring us joy, comfort and inspiration for years to come.

A visitation for James will be held Friday, March 15, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, TX 78232.