Adan Gonzalez died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, October 17, 2019. His bride of 62 years, Minerva, was at his bedside. They were surrounded by family and the songs of Vicente Fernandez, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, and Pedro Infante.
Adan was born on September 18, 1932, in Falfurrias, Texas, the third son of Jesus and Angelita Gonzalez. He attended schools in Falfurrias and graduated from Falfurrias High School in 1952.
Adan served his country during the Korean Conflict, volunteering with the United States Navy and assigned to the USS Higbee, the first American battleship named after a female service member. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Texas A&I after his naval service and began a lifelong career as an educator, first as a math teacher in San Isidro, Texas, then as a teacher, principal, and Assistant Superintendent with the Falfurrias Independent School District, and finally as mentor and role model to his children and grandchildren. He served on the board of directors of what is now Texas Regional Bank in Falfurrias.
Adan took pleasure in being with family, eating a good steak (rarely found beyond his backyard grill), listening to classic Mexican music, and dining at King’s Inn. He enjoyed recounting stories about growing up in Falfurrias, its people, and history, or testing his family about their knowledge of John Wayne and classic Western films. He loved sharing stories about his siblings and parents and was known to randomly break out in song to his wife and children. He took greatest pride, though, in his wife, children, and grandchildren, whom he blanketed and protected with love and praise. He was bound by love to them, and it is his love that binds them now.
Adan was welcomed into the gates of Heaven by his parents and three brothers, Arturo, Alberto and Amado Gonzalez.
He is survived by his wife Minerva L. Gonzalez of Falfurrias; four children, Lita (Steve Aragon) Gonzalez of Austin, Texas, Michael Gonzalez of Falfurrias, Tish Gonzalez of Sugar Land, Texas and Adan Gonzalez, Jr. of Corpus Christi, Texas; one sister, Angelita (Pedro) Garcia of Corpus Christi; two sisters-in-law, Amelia Gonzalez of Sharyland, Texas and Jesusa Gonzalez of Falfurrias; four grandchildren, Matthew (Belinda) Gutierrez of San Marcos, Texas, Gabrielle (Jesse Gutierrez) Aragon of Buda, Texas, Joseph Aragon of Austin and Karilou Gonzalez of Falfurrias; two great-grandchildren, Gigi and Jionni Gutierrez of San Marcos and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Falfurrias with Visitation beginning at 5:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Falfurrias. Burial will follow at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Falfurrias with Military Honors.
