Victoria “Vicky” J. Gonzales, 90, of Pueblo, Colorado passed away peacefully on November 20, 2019, with her family by her side. Born March 10, 1929, Vicky embarked from her hometown of Rocky Ford, Colorado for Pueblo, Colorado after marrying Beltran Gonzales in 1949, her loving husband of 56 years. Vicky, or “Nana” as many affectionately called her, approached life with energy and humor. Vicky raised six children and worked full-time once all her children were in school. She explored roles in the field of mental health, studying at night to be a medical records technician, and worked at Colorado State Hospital (CMHIP), Spanish Peaks Mental Health Center, and Parkview Home Health Services before retiring at the age of 72.
Vicky found joy in keeping an active home and mind. In addition to her full-time work and parenting responsibilities, she managed bookkeeping for her husband’s Texaco gas station for 20 years between 1973 and 1993 and entertained numerous hobbies, including baking, hosting friends and family, card games (Solitaire was a daily favorite), and maintaining an extensive catalogued library of favorite films. She was fiercely defensive of her family, and as many might humorously remember, her Coca-Cola. Always impeccably dressed and interested in fashion, in her retirement she discovered a new hobby -- jewelry-making -- which allowed her to give back to her friends and family. Vicky had a heart full of love and will be greatly missed.
Vicky is survived by her son Michael (Jolene) Gonzales; four daughters, Marlene (Ken) DuFrene, Sandra (Joe) Marez, Belinda (Gerald) Gonzales, and Jeannine Algien; nine grandchildren, Holly Paulman, Jon (Margeaux) DuFrene, Nicholas Algien, Melanie (Eli) Wilson, Stephen (Andrea) Gonzales, Alan Steenblock, Heidi (Chad) Whiting, Christopher Gonzales, and Timothy Gonzales; ten great-grandchildren, Ella Paulman, Julia Paulman, Quentin Wilson, Gwen DuFrene, John Gonzales, Addyson Dufrene, Anastasia Gonzales, Presley Wilson, Naomi Gonzales, and Christina Gonzales; her brother, Luis (Jackie) Jaramillo; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her loving husband, Beltran Gonzales; her son, Gary Gonzales; her parents, Daniel and Cenaida Jaramillo; her brother, Dan Jaramillo; and her two sisters, Becky López and Betty Salazar.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3 at Imperial Funeral Home Chapel in Pueblo, Colorado, with inurnment at Imperial Memorial Gardens, following the service