Joe was born to Porfirio and Mary (Lopez) Gaona in Santa Fe, New Mexico on June 23, 1950. He would move to Colorado where his parents raised him and his nine siblings Frank, Marie, (Joe), Gilbert, Henry, JR, Daved, Janie, Eddie, and Veronica. He went to Loveland High School where he met his wife, Rita (Longmore). He, then, started his 40+ year career at Eastman Kodak as a mechanic.
Joe and Rita married on May 16, 1969, and soon after welcomed their first child, Joseph, and their other son Ryan, eight years later. Throughout the years, Joe enjoyed restoring cars and spending time with his family. He loved road trips out of state to visit family and also enjoyed taking long drives with his wife where he would stop along the way to visit friends and family. Being a grandpa came naturally to Joe and was one of his favorite pastimes during his retirement.
Joe is survived by his mother, Mary; wife, Rita; their sons Joseph (Chanin) Gaona and Ryan (Shelly) Gaona; seven grandchildren, Andrew, Ethan, Brady, Trevor, Connor, Danny, and Josh; and three great grandchildren, Wyatt, Joey, and Mason. He is preceded in death by his father (Porfirio) and brother (Frank).
On August 13, 2022, we lost a legend who left behind a legacy of love, respect, and family values. In his memory, and in honor of Joe and his passion for cars, we are bringing some of his cars to his celebration of life. We welcome you to bring any car you are passionate about (project, new, or old).
Please join us for a viewing at Allnutt Funeral Home in Loveland on Friday, August 19th from 3pm - 5pm. Then, we will have a Celebration of Life on Saturday, August 20th from 3pm - ? at the Loveland Fairground Park, Pavilion 1A. We will provide a main dish and ask, if you choose, to bring something to share. Joe loved family gatherings and there is no better way to celebrate his life than by gathering in love.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.allnuttloveland.com for the Gaona family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17