Maria J. Gonzales

Two things can be true at the same time. So, it is with deep sadness and great joy that we announce the passing of our mother, Maria J. Gonzales. As many of you know, she joyfully celebrated her 83rd birthday this year, amazed at the outpour of love from friends and family. Despite her health struggles and time in hospice care, she set her mind to reaching that milestone, and she did it. That was Momma.

Momma entered into everlasting peace on July 16th, 2026 – her new heavenly birthday. There she joined the many loved ones who had gone before her.

She and dad, Calistro Gonzales, were wed on February 28,1962 and remained so until daddy left us in 2015. True to her first and only love, Momma remained devoted to his memory until her passing.

Together they bore five children: Juan T. Gonzales (Teresa), Maria L. Llamas, Christina T. Hole (Troy Sr.), Robert T. Gonzales (Dana), and Ramon T. Gonzales (Kay).

Of those, they shared special grandchildren: David W. Fowler, Jr. (Karen), Amanda S. Gonzales (Andrew), Jonathon A. Gonzales (Courtney), Matthew R. Gonzales (Patty), Marcus L. Kindler (Shelby), Alexis Slater (Ian), Troy Hole, Jr. (Brandy), and Darrin Gonzales.

Momma was born in Mercedes, Texas to Benito Trevino, Sr., and Juana R. Trevino. She lived a very happy childhood, traveling from place to place as a proud and resilient migrant family. Poor, but happy and grateful, was her way of life. She took pride in telling anyone and everyone that she was poor but did not even know it, because her God and her parents gave her everything she needed and life with her siblings was all she knew… and it was more than enough.

When she married dad, she would continue a life on the road as a military wife, proudly following her husband wherever “Uncle Sam” sent them. Like her migrant mother, she would quickly and easily convert any house into a home for us, standing by daddy and always putting her family first. Those adventures took this “small, naive, skinny girl” with a third-grade education to such places as Japan, Panama, Arkansas, and all along the eastern coast of the U.S.A.

While in Panama, she was baptized as a member of Cocolí Baptist church, where she served as church secretary for the duration of their tour. Our entire family was baptized in the church, and it would be the beginning of a life of her adult relationship with Christ. She shared that she always knew there was a God as a child, but when she met Jesus, her faith became her own, and his love was never more clear to her. That faith became the foundation of her life and guided her through every joy, challenge, and season that followed.

That faith would surely be tested, raising four teenagers… but the grand surprise was the birth of her 5th child, a gift she never knew she needed, and one that would forever hold a special place in her life; aka Ramon. She raised us as she had been raised; as a close-knit family, carried by a strong sense of faith, resilience, and compassion throughout her life. Never about money, always about people.

As if that were not enough to handle, she opened her home and her arms to babysit for every child that came her way, extending her nurturing nature and strength to many military babies, filling a gap in their lives that many babies just do not have. Family was important to her and those babies always held a special place in her heart.

After 21 years of service, they retired to Sulphur Springs, Indiana to be close to her family and begin a life of retirement. She attended Calvary Baptist church in New Castle, and then later, Full Gospel Temple in Muncie, finally choosing to worship at home and keep her relationship between she and God. She enjoyed cooking, going out to eat, spending time with family, and no shock to anyone that knew her… her casino outings!

She was preceded in death by her parents: Benito and Juana Trevino; her siblings: Jesusa T. Gonzalez, Antonio Trevino, Faustino Trevino, Arnuflo Trevino, Juan Trevino, and Guadalupe Trevino; her grandsons: Eric B. Gonzalez and Matthew R. Gonzales.

She is survived by three of her siblings, all five of her children, their families, and a host of nephews, nieces, and loved ones. Together, Maria and Calistro built a family that grew to include 19 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren, each of whom brought her immeasurable joy. She enjoyed it all: their antics, their uniqueness, their visits, and, if we are honest, the moment they went home with their parents! But she loved every one of them dearly.

She was, and always will be, one heck of a lady, a faithful servant of God, and a matriarch like no other. Those of us who knew and loved her will carry her memory, her strength, and her love with us always.

Services will be held Thursday, July 23rd at Elm Ridge Funeral Home, visitation will be from 10:00 am until 12:00 PM, a service will follow at 12:00 PM. Only immediate family will escort her to the cemetery and there will be no graveside service. Please respect the family’s wishes