Joe R. Gonzalez
Joe R. Gonzalez, 97, of Santa Barbara passed away peacefully on Friday, March 26, 2021, at 9:50 p.m. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, and uncle. Joe was also a generous and loving grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather to 27 grandchildren. Above all else he was a positive inspiration to his family and friends, and a warm, caring person to all who knew him and called him their friend. When Joe met people out in the community at retail stores, restaurants or people walking by, he would bless them and tell them he saw God looking back at him through their eyes. This would bring smiles and nods of agreement even from complete strangers.
Joe was born in Quinlan, Woodward, Oklahoma on March 13, 1924. He was the second son of Jose and Magdalena Godinez-Sanchez. His mother passed away when he was 10 years old, and at that point he went to live with his Aunt Guadalupe and her husband Joe Gonzalez. He lived with them and their 3 children, Manual, Rose, and Lloyd until he enlisted in the Army during World War II.
After an honorable discharge from the Army, Joe moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he took courses in electricity and metal plating. He met his loving wife, Lois, who resided in the same boarding house as he did. After dating for about a year, Joe knew this was the woman of his dreams. They tied the knot in a simple ceremony at the Cook County courthouse in 1946. Joe and Lois lived in Chicago until 1951, when they decided to move to the west coast and settle in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara, California. Joe and Lois had four children, Raymond, Linda, Steven, and Janette. A very resourceful husband and father, Joe supported his family working in the metal plating business, and as a retail clerk with the Santa Cruz Markets. Joe started his own metal plating business, Joe’s Plating, prior to retiring from the retail clerk’s union. In 2000 he sold Joe’s Plating to his son, Raymond, and wife, Alison. In December of 2017, after 57 years of serving the Santa Barbara community, Joe’s Plating finally closed its doors.
Joe is preceded in death by his mother and father, Jose and Magdalena Godinez-Sanchez, and brothers Raymond, Manual and sister Rose. His loving wife Lois, and children Raymond, Linda and Steven Gonzalez are also awaiting him in the heavens and are delighted to be reunited. Joe leaves behind daughter, Janette Johnson, his brother, Lloyd, and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.
The family will have a celebration of Joe’s life at the Santa Barbara Mission. Internment will be at Calvary Cemetery.
Flowers can be sent to Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels located at 15 E. Sola St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101 – (805-965-5145), or in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Santa Barbara Dream Foundation located at 1528 Chapala St., Suite 304, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 or through their website, www.dreamfoundation.org.