German Inocencio Gonzales

German Inocencio Gonzales, known to his loved ones as "Tatay", was born to Gerardo Gonzales and Maria Inocencio on May 12, 1937 in Pasay City, Philippines. Known by many names: Herman, German, and Gerry - he was, above all, known to be a good man with a sharp wit, a kind heart, and a talent for making people laugh.

Brother or Ka Gerry was a devoted member of Iglesia ni Cristo. A servant of God, his faith was the foundation of his life. He found contentment in the company of his fellow church members, always ready to lend a helping hand or share a few stories in the church’s social hall or the parking lot.

Gerry shared a memory-filled, 35-year marriage with Rebecca until her passing. He later found love again when he met Margie, spending over 22 years together sharing their faith, a large, blended family, dogs, gardening, and a lifetime of laughs.

As a father, Tatay was endlessly proud of his three children: Argie (Jun) Matugas, Ron (Marnie) Gonzales, Maribel (Jim) Millsap. He was grateful to be warmly welcomed and loved by Margie’s three children: JR (Imee) Remigio, Karl Barroquillo, and Margarette (Jun) Ganzagan. And as a grandfather to six grandchildren: Lailani (Tito) Valdez, Cierra Jade Gonzales, Melissa Matugas (Jackson Abbeduto), Ian (Blain) Gonzales, Giovanni Milan (An Nguyen), Gerald Matugas, and his bonus grandchildren: Liam Kaiser and Amaragail Remigio and Arabella Ganzagan. Tatay’s 'apo sa tuhod' - great-grandchildren: Kianna and Madison Valdez, and Hudson Abbeduto, brought him immense joy, and he was grateful for the opportunity to give them hugs, kisses, and high fives. The older ones were particularly fortunate to have experienced his silly riddles. In addition to his love for his human family, he very much loved and cared for his dogs: Siri, Lucky, and new fur baby, Justin, who provided him unconditional love and companionship during his final days in Capiz, Philippines.

Gerry was the undisputed OG of thrift store shopping. For years, you could always find him on Fridays at the Dearborn Goodwill. His love for thrifting wasn't just about the deals, it was the thrill of the hunt. He was always excited to show off the gadgets he found, much to Nanay’s eye-rolling.

But beyond his thrift store picking, Tatay had another calling - he was a master of dad jokes and riddles. The cornier, the better.

"What are the four days of the week that start with the letter T?" (*Answer below)

Tatay proudly passed on cultural traditions through his stories and food: suman, palitaw, tokwa't baboy, sinigang, arroz caldo, just to name a few. And just as important, he passed on his ability to make any moment lighter with laughter.

Though he is no longer here to tell the same riddle for the tenth time, his legacy lives on in every joke, every warm meal, and every shared laugh. He will be deeply missed, but he would wish us to celebrate his life by sharing great memories and moments we were fortunate to have with him. So, in his honor, tell a corny joke, eat some delicious Filipino food, and remember him with joy.

"Old man forgets everything but a family." -- Tatay

*Tuesday, Thursday, Today, and Tomorrow