Edward (Speedy) Gonzales was born on April 30, 1924 in Walsenburg, CO. He died at the age of 96 on January 3, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Isidora Gonzales M.; daughter Maria, and son, Ricardo; granddaughter, Teresa and husband Jeff; great-grandchildren, Tomas and Sophia; stepson, Mario, and wife Claudia; step-grandchildren, Michel and Andrea; stepdaughter Esteni and husband, Austin. He is preceded in death by his parents, Paulita and Amadeo; his first wife, Ardith; his siblings, Lola, Rachel, and Amadeo Jr.; granddaughter Michelle. Ed truly loved his family and treasured the time they spent together. He enjoyed and valued life with a strong and positive attitude, beating all of life’s adversities.
Ed enlisted in the Army in 1943, following high school graduation, and attended college in Pasadena until called to duty in Germany in World War II. He was wounded in the Battle of the Ruhr pocket in 1945, losing his right leg at a very young age. He was honorably discharged in 1946, earning a Purple Heart, two Bronze Campaign stars, a good conduct ribbon, a Combat Infantryman badge, and American Theatre ribbon, a Victory Ribbon and a European African Middle Eastern Theatre ribbon.
After his discharge, he moved to Minneapolis, MN, worked for the Veteran’s Administration and continued his college education, graduating from the university of Minnesota School of Journalism in 1952. He was a member for the Sigma Delta Chi.
His first job after college was as a reporter and photographer for the Anoka County Union newspaper in Anoka, MN. He then worked as the editor of the Mississippi Valley Lumberman magazine from 1954-1960. He began working for Bruce Publishing in 1960 as editor of Hardware Trade Magazine, eventually becoming publisher of the magazine and vice-president of the company.
Ed founded Master Publications in 1971 and served as editor of its publication, Northern Hardware Trade magazine. He eventually moved his business to Colorado Springs, CO, where he retired in 1993.
Ed was named to the Who’s Who is the upper Midwest in both the 13th and 15th editions. He was a member for the Zuhrah Temple, the Minnehaha Master Masons, and the Secretary-Treasurer of the Northwest Hardware-Housewares Club.
“Speedy Gonzales” always had an adventurous spirit inside of him. After retiring, he was free to pursue his love of travel. Over the years, he drove many places but most of those times to his favorite place, Mazatlán, Mexico, where he made many friends.
Ed enjoyed fishing, playing golf, spending the 4th of July with his family (at Ophir Creek or at his home), reading the newspaper at a favorite spot in the Garden of the Gods and watching Broncos games with his nephew, Jimmy, and neighbors Dave and Jay (and a bottle of scotch!).
