Ruben Gonzalez was born in Houston, Texas on November 28, 1923 and passed away peacefully surrounded by family on April 6, 2023 at 99 years, 4 months and 9 days of age. He was the second of six children, and the last living child of Ramon Gonzalez and Apolonia Lopez Gonzalez. Ruben was married for 62 years to Margarita Gonzalez who passed away on December 14, 2008. He is survived by his sons, Rudy and Raul Gonzalez and his daughter Belinda Gonzalez Flores. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Rene, Ricardo, Roberto, Jeremy, Laura (Lisa), Jaime, Adriana and by his 15 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.
Ruben and his family moved to his father’s home city of Briseñas, Michoacan, Mexico where he grew up. He would work on the farm along with his brothers. Ruben lost his father at an early age. Ruben traveled to Kansas to work on the railroad at the age of 17. He recalled freezing and snowy tracks he would work on, barely avoiding frostbite. Eventually he went back to Mexico. In 1945, Ruben returned to the United States while World War II was rampant and was drafted into the armed forces. Ruben served in Tokyo and was made corporal and commanded an eight soldier squad without knowing a word of English. He was discharged from the military in 1947.
It was in 1954 that Ruben was introduced to Jehovah God and subsequently his wife, Margarita, began studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Ruben dedicated his life to Jehovah and got baptized on May 2, 1959, in the Guadalupe River at a Circuit Assembly. He served in various congregations beginning with Lake Unit and Loma Park Congregations. He helped build the simple Kingdom Hall of Loma Park. Ruben was named Elder when the Elder arrangement was put into effect and he continued to serve in that senior spiritual teacher role until his passing.
He will be missed by all his family and by all who knew him. Many have spoken about how loved he was. To know him was to love him because his personality was so magnetic and genuine. Always with good humor, when asked how he was doing, he would say “oh pretty good con papas”. When his grandchildren told him they loved him he responded “me too Lupy”. Adults and children alike would gather around Ruben because of his loveable and caring nature. He ALWAYS had candy ready to hand out to his grandchildren and the children in his congregation and always had juicy fruit gum in the pocket of his guayabera. The last words his wife Margarita said to him were “You have been the best husband ever!” The last words all his kids said to him was “ You have been the best Dad, the best Grandad, the best abuelito ever!” We’ll see you in Paradise Don Ruben.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangelcupples.com for the Gonzalez family.
