Emiliano Gonzalez

Emiliano Gonzalez May 2, 1932-March 14, 2013 Emiliano Gonzalez was born May 2, 1932, in Edinburg, Texas. Emiliano is survived by his beloved wife Ramona Laurentina Gonzalez of 59 years. His dearly loved daughter Delila Russell and her husband Michael, his beloved grandchildren Abran Sanchez, Ester Perez and her husband Joseph, his beloved grandson David Sanchez and cherished great grandchildren Evie Alexandrea and Jeovany Emilio. He was preceded in death by his mother Petra Guerra, father Hilario Gonzalez, sister Felicita, and three brothers; Eudelio, Lamberto and Pedro Gonzalez. Emiliano was known to be very kind, generous, caring, funny, energetic and easy going. He was a very bright boy and attended school in Texas. He was so bright that he skipped the second grade. He met Laura in Weslaco Texas in 1952 and knew that she was like no other woman he had met. He quickly knew this was the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. Even though he was very handsome, it was his heart of gold that Laura fell in love with. He served in the United States Air Force in Japan from July 11, 1952 to 1956 and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves until 1960. During the Air Force, he kept himself active by practicing acrobats. He was known for his strong upper body strength and would like to demonstrate his talent of walking on his hands for long periods of time. He was a kind, generous, loving and caring husband. He would bring Laura flowers well into his 70’s and always opened her door. He was a true gentleman. She was always his sweetheart and he loved her dearly. They were not only husband and wife, but very best of friends. He loved to garden, ride horses, take care of animals and boy did he love his chickens. He called them his “Cha-Chas.” He loved to get coffee daily at the local coffee shop and read the newspaper. All the locals knew him and were delighted by his daily presence. He worked as an auto mechanic for 20 years and started his own Janitorial business in 1975 named Cuzco Janitorial. He worked until the age of 80. He and Laura raised their daughter Delila and three grandchildren, Abran, Ester and David. He was always full of energy and had a very big heart. He loved watching cowboy movies with his granddaughter, and taking her to lunch. He inspired her to cook at the age of 10 and ignited her passion for cooking by being her #1 taste tester. He was so strong and healthy that he would like showing off to his great grandchildren by walking on his hands and out running his great granddaughter. His great grandchildren would love to visit Grandpa Emiliano and his chickens. He was always fun to be around. What made Emiliano so special was his relationship with the Almighty God. He was a very spiritual man who loved Jehovah God dearly and got baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness at the age of 24 in the year 1956 in Texas. He and his family attended congregations From Weslaco Texax to Denver, Colorado, Santa Paula, California and then came to Oxnard, CA. He served as an elder in Oxnard’s first congregation called “G” street. He was an elder for over 25 years. There were times when there was great need and he was the only elder in the congregation, but he persevered helping with lectures and counseling family to find peace, hope and happiness through Jehovah God’s word. He would travel to give bible lectures at Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. A special memory Emiliano, Laura and their daughter shared together was attending the special eight day International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses; it was a special “Around-the-World-Assembly” entitled “Everlasting Good News” held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on September 1-8, 1963. Also, he and Laura along with members of the congregation would take the bus from the “G” street congregation to the District Assemblies held at Dodgers Stadium each summer. He was loved by the children of the kingdom hall and before the meeting, he would remember to bring candies for the kids. You would see the kids run up to him after the meeting and he would hand them out little candies. Those little smiles brought him so much joy. He followed the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:14: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." He knocked on doors and spoke to anyone he came in contact with to teach them of Jehovah’s purpose for humanity of peace on earth. This zealous preaching of the congregation members resulted in the need of a new kingdom hall. Emiliano was one of the many volunteers to help with the construction of the new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses on Bard Road in 1983. He served Jehovah God for 57 years and his faith in Jehovah and his word was what kept him going all those years. He was such a wonderful man and he will be dearly missed by his family, friends, neighbors and brothers and sisters of the congregation. He lived on this earth and left a wonderful example to us all of how to live a life full of love, kindness, faith, laughter, generosity and wisdom. May his example guide us to be kinder to one another, have more faith in Jehovah God, be punctual and respect one another, laugh and have fun like a child, and give love with all our hearts. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 601 E. Bard Road, Oxnard, CA 93033.