Terry Bernard Gonzales was born on July 31, 1955, to the parents of Lewis and Will Etta Gonzales in Houston, Texas. God called him to his final resting place on March 29, 2021, at 6:51 pm at St. Luke’s Woodlands. He was surrounded by his loving family as he naturally took his last breath. Terry was the seventh of eight children. He grew up in Garden City Homes Community and attended Garden City Elementary School and graduated from Klein High School in 1974. He played community baseball and junior varsity football at Klein High School. Terry attended Texas Southern University for two years and studied construction engineering.
A conversation between two friends in 1975 blossomed into a love affair than resulted in 44 years of marriage to Lanette Foster. After 11 years they had a beautiful daughter, Ashley and eight and half years later God blessed their family with another beautiful daughter, Taylor. They built their life together in Acres Home and Spring, Texas. Terry was the rock that held the family together. He was often father and mother to the girls as his wife worked long hours and traveled. He never complained and enjoyed every minute of family life. When his mother-in-law became ill, Terry did not hesitate to bring “Mom” into their home to care for her. In November 2020, he was blessed to meet his first and only granddaughter, Wynter Marie. He was ecstatic and could not wait to share his joy with everyone.
Terry was strong, kind, gentle, caring, full of life and laughter. He was wise and knowledgeable. Terry exhibited God’s rule to love your brothers and sisters. He believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and was a member of St. Monica’s Catholic Church under Father John Crotty, Church Without Walls under Pastor Ralph West, and The Fellowship Community Church under the pastorate of Rev. Carol Gonzales where he served faithfully as a Deacon. Terry believed in Romans 10:1, 13 “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God…is that they may be saved. For, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Terry exhibited faith in good, bad, and challenging times. He never hesitated to remind anyone of God’s faithfulness. You could see and feel the favor of God on his life!
He was a loving and caring son, husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. He never hesitated to open his home to anyone needing shelter or to offer support in any way possible. The joy of his life was “his girls” (wife, daughters, granddaughter). He raised his daughters to become strong, independent, caring, and loving women. Terry’s joy was encouraging his daughters in any sport whether T-Ball Assistant Coach, playing baseball, basketball, soccer, performing in band or color guard. His girls gladly joined in his joy of sports and routing for their favorite team and player, especially Dallas Cowboys and LeBron James!
Terry worked at the University of Houston-Residential Life and Housing Department for 25 years. During his tenure, he worked his way up to Supervisor and was respected and loved by many staff, students, and colleagues. He developed many friendships that in turn became family. He was a lover of the Houston Cougars Basketball Team and enjoyed any opportunity to participate in campus activities.
On Monday, May 29, 2021 Terry went home to be with the Lord. He leaves to cherish his memories his loving wife, Lanette, two daughters, Ashley and Taylor, granddaughter, Wynter Marie, God grandson, Keyondre Spiller, a brother, Glenn Gonzales (Elizabeth), three sisters, Carol Gonzales, Yvonna Smith, and Patricia Thornton (Warfield), brother-in-laws, Lloyd Thompson (Rachunda) and Steve Cross, sister-in-laws, Patricia and Andrea Gonzales, Rosslyn Cornish, Monica Cross, and Sonya Royster, and a host of nephews, nieces, godsons, goddaughters, other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis and Will Etta Gonzales, and three brothers, Lynn, Louis and Richard Gonzales.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18