Joe Bononcini

Joseph Garza Bononcini, 71, gained his angel wings on July 22, 2024, in the home of his daughter. He was surrounded by family from the day he had his first stroke until the day he took his last breath. Jojo was born July 19, 1953 and boy did he love his birthdays. He would plan his birthday trips several months before and mention it every other day with the excitement of a child headed to Disney.

Jojo’s vices included casinos, people watching at bars, and thrifting. Michelle can attest that his bank account proved him an avid thrifter of tennis shoes, t-shirts, and toys for Johnny, one-eye. He loved sharing his bargain finds and the price of his branded tennis shoes that he paid 90% less for, just by thrifting early and often. His love for the casino was like a max bet, he was all in any chance he got. He loved trips to Kickapoo Lucky Eagle and Las Vegas, Nevada. His partners in casino crime included his ex-wife’s family. They too love the slots!

As you look around the room you will see lots of the Rodriguez family present. Although Irene and Joe divorced in 1988, Irene’s family continued to love him, invite him to family parties, and all still call him tio Joe. Joe and Irene knocked it out of the park when it came to co-parenting. They raised a St. Mary’s college graduate, former Queen of the River Walk, and social butterfly. With a little sprinkle mixed into her recipe of both Joe and Irene, Michelle knows no strangers and drinks up every drop of life.

JoJo loved frequenting bars to drink a soda and share his famous guacamole. He was the very first customer at Southtown 101, a new bar back in the day, and of course JoJo walks in and orders a Big Red, which they didn’t carry. The owner will tell you the story of how he walked across the street to the Family Dollar to buy Joe a Big Red, and thus, he had his first sale.From a mile away you could see Jojo coming. Joe’s signature style was vibrant colored t-shirts, funny character shirts, and special request t-shirts from Irene. He hated black because it got too hot and never wanted white, because it would get dirty fast, he said. This was very different from Joe‘s attire growing up. Joe only wore clothes from Penner’s, a very pricey men’s clothing store downtown. We believe he got tired of matching suits and pressed pants, and just wanted to throw on a t-shirt these days.

From his handpicked family dollar greeting cards to the random phone calls he made to family and friends; there was never a dull moment when talking to JOJO. Michelle did teach him to text and Siri became his personal assistant, “Calling Bob,” “Calling Lola,” “Siri, what are the NBA scores?” And my favorite, “What is the weather in …”

His only daughter, Michelle, who followed in her father’s footsteps as a social butterfly, took him everywhere with her. She wanted him to be an integral part of her life, and he was—from parades to SA current events, cruises, and especially ubering his Queen and her friends during fiesta, JoJo was ALWAYS there with her. If you knew Michelle, you met her Dad. She relied on him as much as he relied on her to set his work alarms. They were and always will be the quintessential example of a loyal Father/Daughter relationship.

For 15 years JoJo worked at the VFW Post 76 downtown until he turned 66 years old. Til’ this day the members of VFW say no one can clean like Soda Pop. They called him Soda Pop because he never drank alcohol or smoked, just loved his Coke and chips.

He could have quit his other job at Trinity University, but he said it was easy, except Mondays, when the students left all their trash out over the weekend. He loved his co-workers and even kept up with co-workers that had not worked at Trinity for years. There was no better friend than YO-YO, is what the ladies call him. He ate lunch with 4 ladies that made sure YoYo had a full belly of homemade Mexican food. It goes without saying that all the staff and students knew him at Trinity University. When he got sick, his main concern was, “Who was going to open the doors to let the ladies in to work if he’s in the hospital.” He was the only one with the keys. He took care of all his ladies and made most of them his pretend novias (girlfriends). Love, Love, he would tell them, in an attempt to flirt.

We will miss him yelling Golden STATTEEEEE when he walked into a room to announce he was there. We will miss his stubborn ways of only eating a pork chop with the bone. We will miss seeing his name on our caller ID to tell us about what famous person died and the sports updates.

JoJo will be remembered by all the lives that he touched, especially, his daughter, Michelle Josephine Bononcini; his sister, Josephine B. Portugal; his ex-wife and friend, Irene Rodriguez; his stepdaughters’, Mia Kacir and Raulene Stelly; and his step-grandson, Johnny N. Kacir. He was preceded in death by his parents, Romeo T. Bononcini and Guadalupe G. Bononcini; His Brothers, Ruperto G. Bononcini, Fernando G. Bononcini, Romeo G. Bononcini, and Luis G. Bononcini.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.Rest in peace JoJo.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 pm., Thursday, August 8, 2024, at Porter Loring Mortuary.

ROSARYTHURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 20247:00 PMPORTER LORING CHAPEL1101 MCCULLOUGH AVENUE

MASSFRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 202410:00 AMIMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH617 SOUTH SANTA ROSA

Father Benjamin Romero will officiate. Interment will follow in San Fernando Cemetery II. Pallbearers Mia Flores, Debbie Morales, Javier Morales, Maria Gonzalez “Lola”, Irene Lopez, Blanca Aguilar, Carolina Rodriguez, Bob O’Hara, Romero Bononcini.