Jose Gonzales

Jose De La Luz Gonzales was born in Albuquerque, NM in 1938 to Manuelita and Anselmo Gonzales. When he was seven, he moved to Lamar, Colorado, where he grew up on a farm. As a kid, he was fascinated by the trains that would come through, and one day, the conductor of one freight train allowed him to come on board the engine and drive the train to the next town. (I don’t know how he got back). That adventure inspired a lifelong love of railroads and most things related to trains. Jose always enjoyed getting into a bit of mischief, which got him into a bit of trouble as a youth, when he spent a few months in the state reformatory. However, his better nature showed through, and he was released early for good behavior, after just a brief stint. After his early release, he went to work on the Anderson farm in Holly, Colorado, where he fully reformed while developing many farming skills, including a deep appreciation for John Deere tractors - the other mechanical love he retained for life. Not long after the Korean War, Jose enlisted in the Army, where he served for eight years, and discovered he really didn’t like jumping out of fully functional planes. He was lucky enough to complete his service before the Vietnam war. After leaving the Army, Jose used his military experience to join the Police force in La Junta, CO and later in Eaton, CO, where he kept the peace, more or less. During his time on the force, Jose attended Otero College through the G.I. Bill. Jose’s experience with the police led him to a job in security at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, but when a position opened up in Environmental Services, he shifted to the role he would play until he retired. Jose was known by many employees and patients throughout the hospital because of his kind nature and sense of humor. His partner for years was an animated stuffed duck, who proudly rode the front of the floor machine when Jose made his rounds. DJ (“Duck Janitor”) was such a hit among patients and employees that he was issued an official PVH ID card, and shared the honors when Jose was awarded Employee of the Year for the hospital. During his 28 years at the hospital, Jose also volunteered to help as a translator for maternity patients and was an employee representative to the hospital. It was at the hospital where he met Bobbi, his wife of 24 years. Jose never let growing up get in the way of having fun with toys, especially those that moved, made noise, talked, or had flashing lights. His delight at flying a toy helicopter around a corner and startling the person in the next room or chasing a rogue squirrel off the back porch with a radio-controlled John Deere tractor never faded. That appreciation for the whimsical and fun side of life made Jose fun to be around and kept everyone around him on their toes. Jose was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the 2010s, and suffered from the long, slow decline inevitable from that disorder. Despite his declining memory, he always had fun flying his toy helicopters and driving his tractors. That love of toys and transport continued when he got a mobility scooter. After being stopped one day by a concerned police officer, who recommended that he add some reflectors and lights, Jose made sure his scooter had enough flashing lights, flags, bells, horns, and Department of Transportation approved reflective tape, that he got a thumbs up when he drove past the local fire station, and from passing police. Jose is survived by his wife Bobbi, 9 children (Felix, Donna, Danny, Jeanette, Penny, Candice, Benjamin, Joshua, Anthony), and had one son, Jose Jr. who preceded him in death.

Jose Gonzales

December 13, 2023