Jon-Paul Gonzales

On February 19, 2021, Jon-Paul Gonzales left us to be with the Lord.  Born April 29, 1980, here in San Antonio.  He was a graduate of the 2002 Graduating Class of James Madison High School and the Son of Arthur Gonzales and Paulette Guadiano.

Jon-Paul was born with a rare type of chromosome syndrome.  He joined with the Lord at the age of 40, after nearly a life-long battle with respiratory disease.

For more than half of his life, he was raised by our single mother, Paulette.  Just like his mother, Jon-Paul enjoyed dancing and music.  If he was not listening to Michael Jackson on his cassette tapes, then like Paulette, he was enjoying these oldies but goodies from his stereo.

Jon-Paul for the most part was a simple man, while handicapped, he ate cereal for breakfast, Little Debbie’s coffee cakes with milk, of course, for his snacks.  Then there was the famous Short Circuit “Johnny Five” movie he would watch and enjoy 5 times a day.

There were many challenging times he had to hurdle.  However, every memory of my older brother is filled with nothing but love and whole lots of laughter.

His disabilities were challenging as you may imagine.  It didn’t however stop him from his younger sister and older cousin obligations – like stealing his younger sister and brother’s bottles for that great tasting milk he loved so much, and takin g control of his younger cousin toys so he can play with them.  Many times, he would remind his sister and brother who were in charge by pressing the reset button on the Super Nintendo – always calm but serious fashion.

Cereal, breakfast cakes, dancing, music, milk and Johnny 5 may have kept him very happy but never would these luxuries ever compare to his love and admiration he always displayed for his wonderful mother, Paulette – especially when she sang his favorite nursery rhymes – you know these songs, “the muffin man”, “10 little Indians”, and other nursery hits.

As he did with everyone he met, I am sure he has already made his special mark with the Lord.

He got his height from our mother.  The heart and love with him made him stand out like a giant.

Jon-Paul is survived by his mother, Paulette; sister Brittany; older brother Albert and little brother James Albert; his nephews James Jr., Jacob, Luke, Ryan, Malachi and Jude; his only niece, Julianna; grandmother, Rosanna; aunts, Linda, Deanna, Joanna and Linda Lopez; uncles, Peter John, Gerard, Gilbert, David, Anthony, Andrew and Allen; and by special cousins, Matthew Ryan.

Jon-Paul was preceded in death by his biological father, Arthur; step-father, Albert Guadiano; great-grandfather, John Paul Sanchez; great-grandmother, Susie Sanchez; grandmothers, Eliza, Caroline, and Herlinda; grandfather, Hilario; aunt, Lupe; and uncles, Ruben and Dominique.

On behalf of Jon-Paul’s family, we would like to say a special thank you to the staff at the group home he lived in who took care of my big brother. To be in this profession it takes a great deal of patience and compassion.  You all who helped take care of Jon-Paul will forever be in our hearts and prayers. “Thank you”.

Funeral services for Jon-Paul Gonzales will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home with Pastor Roy Rogerio officiating.  Visitation will be held two hours prior to the funeral.  Jon-Paul will be laid to rest on his birthday, April 29, 2021, at Chapel Hill Memorial Park.