Josue Antonio Izales

Josue Antonio Izales of Gaithersburg, Maryland, passed away peacefully on November 1st, 2024, after a courageous two-year battle with cancer. He was surrounded by family and friends who will continue to honor his legacy by living their lives to the fullest and carrying on the torch that he passed. Josue is survived by his loving wife, Liliana Izales; his two children, Evander Antonio and Carmen Elena; his brother, Alejandro Izales; and his parents, Randolfo Izales and Gregoria Castaneda.

Josue was born on April 22nd, 1986, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. At the age of 3 he joined his parents in the United States who were in search of better opportunities and settled in Langley Park, Maryland. There Josue would live out his childhood and adolescence alongside his brother, Alejandro. Growing up he showed great interest in music, design and gaming – which continued throughout his life - but most of all he loved laughing, learning and challenging himself through his work and hobbies. Josue had a natural passion for helping and teaching others, selflessly putting them and their goals first. He took great pride in considering himself a servant leader and a life-long learner, practicing principles of both across all aspects of his life. He believed anyone could achieve anything they wanted to - if they were passionate and willing to put the work in. Being their biggest fan he would always be the first to ask, “how can I help?”.

Many will remember him for his relentless go-getter attitude which was reflected in his career growth. From his first job at a record store in Langley Park, Maryland to being a sales leader as an account executive for Microsoft Federal in Washington, DC and everything in between – Josue took great pride in his work, no matter the role or industry, and felt that every single experience was an opportunity to learn something new. Based on the expansive knowledge gained from his diverse experiences he helped countless others find career growth through his acts of service – offering coaching and career guidance, interview and resume preparation, job referrals and even serving as a dedicated mentor to a select few.

Josue lived his life for his family. Every decision he made was driven by how it would affect his family and fulfill their goals. He worked toward a dream in which his family could live self-sustainably so that ultimately, he could spend all his time with them. Even during his fight with cancer, he did all he could to be present with his family and friends, disregarding his pain to be there for important moments and of course to crack a joke or two. Every moment was spent ensuring that his family was ready for his departure so that they could achieve all that he had envisioned and beyond.

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 11:00AM, at Saint Paul Catholic Church, 9240 Damascus Road, Damascus, Maryland. The family will host a repass immediately after the service at their home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made directly to his family who survived him at their GoFundMe Page or to Memorial Sloan Kettering which will help further their research against cancer.

The family would like to give a very big and special thank you to the teams at the Johns Hopkins-Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital, Gastrointestinal Oncology service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Montgomery Hospice for their compassionate care during Josue’s illness.