Aureliano "Abe" Age - 69 - El Rito Gonzales

Aureliano “Abe” Gonzales, 69, a lifelong resident of El Rito passed away on Monday, April 16, 2012; he was accompanied by his beloved ones during his passing. He retired from Northern Community College as Master Barber Instructor where he worked for 22 years. He helped to graduate at least 500 barbers. He served many years with the New Mexico State Police Mounted Patrol. His horses were his pride and joy and riding in the mountains was his favorite past time. He was a long-time parishioner of San Juan Nepomuceno Catholic Church and served as president of the Parish Council for 4 years. He also served as a youth minister. He will be dearly missed. Aureliano was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Frank and Virginia Gonzales; daughter, Kimberly Chacon; mother-in-law, Tina Salazar. Aureliano is survived by his wife of 21 years, Geraldine Gonzales; sons: Johnny Salazar and wife Josefina of Rio Chama, Marcos Gonzales and wife Melissa of El Rito; daughters: Loretta Gamble and husband Tom of Shadow Mountain, Valerie Gallegos of Albuquerque, Stephanie Gonzales of Santa Fe and Melanie Fordham of Española; sisters: Frances Archuleta and husband George of El Rito, Bennie Madrid and husband Ponciano of El Rito, Cora Lee and husband Henry of Springerville, AZ; aunt, Anita Aldaz of Española; uncles: Vicente Gonzales of Grand Junction, CO and Abran Baldonado of Santa Fe; mother-in-law, Charlotte Arguello of Española; very special cousins: Jimmy and Carlos Gonzales. Public visitation will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. in the Sangre de Cristo Chapel at DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory with a rosary to follow at 7:00 p.m. A second rosary will be recited on Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at San Juan Nepomuceno Catholic Church in El Rito. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at San Juan Nepomuceno Catholic Church in El Rito with burial to take place at El Rito Community Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be: Mark Salazar, Tito Terrazas, Shawn Madrid, Joe Aldaz, Pete Maes, Joe Jaramillo, Julian Madrid and Ricky Archuleta; honorary pallbearers include all 20 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. The family of Aureliano “Abe” Gonzales have entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-747-7477

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