Margarita & Robert Gonzales

Margarita V Gonzales was born on July 19th, 1945, in the Yuma General Hospital. Margarita was a loving wife, a devoted daughter, and above all a loving mother that would grow to become a grandmother.

Margarita was the second oldest daughter and grew up with her seven siblings in Somerton, Arizona, just 11 miles south of Yuma. Margarita was born to farm laborers who toiled soil before daylight, only returning to their Adobe laid home once the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. It was during her youth that Margarita learned the value of hard work and sacrifice to provide for those you love.

Mom was a night owl. She started working at Yuma’s Crest drive-in theater as a teenager and would often say that working at the drive-in was where she picked up the habit of staying up late. As a teenager, Margarita bumped into handsome, dark-haired Robert Gonzales, whom she fell deeply in love with and married after high school.

Margarita was hardly content in one place for any extended period of time. As she began to raise her family, Margarita traveled with her husband. Across California and Arizona. Moving from Oakland to San Diego, Yuma to Chula Vista, then back to Yuma again. Within that time, mom had various occupations, all of which suited her personality in one way or another: she worked as a bank teller, an apartment manager, and even a Jeep Salesperson.

While working with her husband to provide for their four children, Margarita still managed to find time to indulge in her hobbies. Whether she was sitting at her serger sewing machine, or throwing the football in the front yard with her son in heels, Margarita was the epitome of a person who lived her life loudly and lovingly. She was not afraid to make a statement with her cheetah print fabrics or her cowbell in the stands of her sons’, and eventually grandsons’, football games.

When Margarita had grandchildren, she loved them as if they were her own. As a grandma, her desire to be out and about in the world did not subside and she began to take her grandchildren on adventures; everything from car rides to watching fireworks on the 4th of July to making her famous “Green Jell-O.” Margarita loved being a grandma just as much as she loved being a mom. However, her world changed and grew much smaller in 2020 when Covid shut the world down.

Around Covid, Margarita’s own health began to decline. She suffered and survived a stroke and then a Transient Ischemic Attack just two years later. Despite her health complications, Margarita, as always, fought and pushed to continue living life as the vibrant, light-hearted person she was. During this time, her habit of being a night owl did not change. She continued to stay up late watching old Elvis Movies, Blue Hawaii in particular, and waking up the next morning with a cheerful attitude and a smile on her face. Even as her memory began to fade following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, she’d still crack jokes, pretending to not know you for minutes at a time before bursting out in infectious laughter.

Margarita’s story came to a quiet end on February 27, 2026. Margarita is survived by her four children, 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Though she will be deeply missed, Margarita will be remembered for her wits, love for all things fashion, and utmost faith in her loved ones and the Lord.

Robert Jo Gonzales Sr. was born on June 30, 1944, in Yuma, AZ. He was a kind, humble man whom we had the great honor of calling our dad.

Raised with modest beginnings, Robert Sr. lived a life defined by dedication and hard work. He proudly served his country for four years in the United States Navy. Over the years he worked in many roles, including as a civil servant, an insurance salesman, a church janitor, and later as a retail salesman. He worked hard throughout his life to support and provide for his family of six.

Robert Sr. loved his family deeply and especially cherished the time he spent with his grandchildren. Those who knew him would often see him at Fry’s Electronics, the Natomas Commons Walmart, or walking through Natomas Park. He had a gift for conversation and a genuine love of people. Robert Sr. was a social soul who found joy in everyday moments, often stopping to talk with neighbors or strangers alike and sharing stories or simple conversations along the way.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Robert Sr. spent the final months of his life sheltered at home, hoping for the day the world would return to normal. During that time, he was stricken with a rare autoimmune illness, Wegener’s Granulomatosis, which gradually weakened him. Eventually he was rushed to the emergency room, where he fought bravely for more than three weeks, supported by doctors and machines and separated from the loved ones who meant so much to him.

His life quietly ended on January 27, 2021.

He will be remembered for his gentle spirit, his kindness toward others, and the love he had for his family.

Robert is survived by his three sons and daughter, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Though he will be deeply missed, we rejoice in the promise that he now rests in eternal peace with the Lord.

A Viewing/Visitation will be held at Johnson Mortuary Chapel, 1415 S. First Avenue, Yuma, Arizona 85364, on March 20, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A Rosary will be held at Johnson Mortuary Chapel on March 20, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 505 S. Avenue B, Yuma, Arizona 85364, on March 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. A Graveside Service will follow at Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 1415 S. First Avenue, Yuma, Arizona 85364, on March 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.