Brownsville/Round Rock – Maria Alicia Gonzalez (B. March 17, 1932), 86, entered into eternal rest and was welcomed into the kingdom of heaven by her Lord on Sunday, December 9, 2018, in Round Rock, Texas.
A native of El Calaboz, Texas, Alicia was the youngest of four children born to Samuel and Beatriz Garcia. She was a 1950 graduate of San Benito High School and soon thereafter met Raul, the love of her life and the man she married seven years later. She worked for Edelstein’s Better Furniture for 27 years (and while there, was very active in Ruben Edelstein’s successful political bid for Mayor of Brownsville) before pursuing her college education and earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education, Bilingual Education, Special Education and Counseling from Pan American University. After obtaining her degrees, she worked for the Brownsville Independent School District as a teacher and then as a campus counselor at Garden Park Elementary School. She believed strongly in the value of education and that it was the key to a happy and productive life because education opened countless doors of opportunity for herself and her children. She taught her children by example and modeled that through hard work, perseverance, patience and commitment any of life’s dreams and goals could be reached: “Con Dios y ganas, todo se puede.”
Alicia was a loving and caring wife, mother and grandmother who dedicated her life to serving her family, friends and strangers in need. Her unshakeable Catholic faith never failed her when she sought comfort and strength in the face of life’s challenges and tribulations, and she never failed to give all praise to the God of her understanding when blessed with joy, happiness and life’s gifts.
Prior to her seeking medical treatment in Round Rock, Alicia was active in her church activities and religiously attended Mass at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, was a member of Brownsville’s Red Hat Society, volunteered for United Way & Valley Baptist Medical Center Outpatient Services, often enjoyed a good movie, loved walking for exercise, and loved meeting her comadres to line dance and gather for pan dulce y cafecito to catch up on the local goings-on even more. She was the sun in the lives of her children and so many others, always there, steadfast and dependable in loved ones’ hours of need. She was always there in person or in spirit, and her presence was always felt whether near or far.
She now takes her place in the heavens above to shine ever so brightly as a wonderful star who will watch over us for all eternity & keep us in God’s good graces, ensuring that we live to see another day.
Alicia is preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Beatriz (Rodriguez) Garcia; her husband, Raul Gonzalez Rios; her infant daughter, Laura Alicia Gonzalez; her brothers, Romeo (Esperanza) Garcia & Samuel (Diane) Garcia; and her sister, Maria Araceli (Cha Cha) Garcia.
Alicia leaves behind to cherish her memory, her daughter, Rosie (Stacy) Speedlin Gonzalez of San Antonio, Texas; and son, German (Hanna) Gonzalez of Round Rock, Texas; and her granddaughter Erika Keikihiapo Gonzalez.
Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 15, 2018 at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, 2800 Rockwell Drive in Brownville, Texas, 78521.
Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. and Rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. at Funeraria del Angel Buena Vista, 125 McDavitt Blvd, Brownsville, Texas 78521.
The funeral will take place at 12:00 noon on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at Buena Vista Burial Park, 5 McDavitt Blvd., Brownville, Texas 78521.
Serving as pallbearers will be: German Gonzalez, Romeo Garcia, Jr., Eddie Garcia, Tony Garcia, Robert Garcia and Mitchel Matthis.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.
– Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971).