A celebration of life service will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, July 8 at Primera Church, 23 W. Ave. J, San Angelo, Texas, 76903. Reverend Robert Cuellar and Luis González will be officiating. Burial will follow at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens in San Angelo, Texas. A visitation will be held at Johnson’s Funeral Home on Sunday, July 7, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Pastor González was born June 11, 1924, in San Miguel Tenochtitlán, México, to Luis González and Petra García González.
On January 5, 1943, he married Bertha Lipchak of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México.
Fortunato is survived by his wife Bertha of Victoria, Texas, his three daughters, Dora Rivera and husband Fred of Victoria, Tx, Mima González of Victoria, Tx, Beyla Móntez and husband Gilbert of Highland Village, Tx, and two sons Gama González and wife Sylvia of San Angelo, Tx, and Luis González and wife DeeDee of Austin, Tx.; eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
He is also survived by two sisters, Graciela Montoya of San Miguel Tenochtitlán, México, Julia González and husband Ignacio of Toluca, México, and one brother Simón González and wife Eliza of San Antonio, Tx., and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents Luis and Petra and sister Ernestina Velasco, brother Nicanor González, and sister María González, all of San Miguel, Tenochtitlán, México.
He graduated from El Seminario Teológico Bautista “Dr. G. H. Lacy,” Oaxaca, México, 1948. He was ordained at Primera Iglesia Bautista, Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, México, 1949.
He pastored his first church, Iglesia Bautista Pro-Hogar (1947-48), in Mexico City, México, and his second church was Primera Iglesia Ciudad Acuna (1949-52). In 1952, he was called to El Buen Pastor in Del Rio, Tx. In 1958, he pastored Segunda Iglesia Bautista and in 1960, he pastored Iglesia Bautista Gollihar, both in Corpus Christi, Tx.
From 1962 to 1969, Brother González served as pastor of Segunda Iglesia Bautista in Del Rio, Tx. He left there to serve what would be his longest tenured pastoral position at Primera Iglesia in San Angelo, from 1969 to when he retired in 1992. He continued to serve Primera and other area churches for several years after his retirement.
His pastoral ministry was characterized by an emphasis in Bible study and leadership development. He was an ardent supporter of youth ministry, women’s missionary work, praise and worship, and stewardship. In every church that he pastored, he led building campaigns, and under his leadership, churches became financially independent.
His name Fortunato means the fortunate one, happy, blessed. With his quiet demeanor and godly presence, he blessed us. We were the fortunate ones; we witnessed how the race should be run.
To honor Brother Gonzalez, the family is requesting memorial donations to two organizations that were dear to his heart. When you send a donation to these organizations, please indicate to them that it is in honor of Fortunato González: Buckner Mexico, 700 N. Pearl Street, St. 1200, Dallas, TX 75201, or Hospice of South Texas, 605 E. Locust Ave., Victoria, TX, 77901.
“His lord said unto him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant:” Matthew 25:21
