Jesse R. “Gonzo” Gonzales Sr.
Jesse R. “Gonzo” Gonzales Sr., age 72, of Redgranite, died peacefully on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh.
He was born April 18, 1949, in Hughes, Arkansas, the son of Nicholas and Lucille Ruiz Gonzales. On September 1, 1978, he was united in marriage to Cheryl Gustke in Green Lake.
Gonzo worked for Kirk Christmas Tree Farm and Berlin Foundry. He loved to hunt and fish but was most known for his guitar playing. Gonzo was even dubbed, “Best darn guitar player in the State of Wisconsin”, by Gene Passarelli. An exciting memory from the 60s was when Gonzo met and “jammed” with Jerry Lee Lewis at Jerry’s home in Memphis, Tennessee. Over the years he played with numerous area bands including P-D Express & Co., which was the opening band for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at the Winnebago County Fair in 1995. The highlight in his musical career was taking the stage and playing alongside his boys. He loved spending time with his family and cherished every moment with his grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Cheryl; three sons, Jesse Gonzales Jr., Chris (Jen) Gonzales and Chuck Gonzales; two daughters, Rosie Robbins and Christina Gonzales; 14 grandchildren, Destiny, Jesse III, Anthony, Tanner, Nicholas, Hope, Priscilla, Taylor, Kamm, Brayden, Jessica, Anna, Ian and Colby; three great-grandchildren; three brothers, Johnny (Martha) Gonzales, Tom (Sherri) Gonzales and Robert Gonzales; brothers- and sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Gonzo was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Joe, Blas Sr., Louis and Ruben; and three sisters, Virginia, Susan and Ramona. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
A gathering of family and friends will be held on Wednesday, February 16, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin. Memorial services will be held at 7:00 p.m., Rev. Gregory Sluke officiating. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Jesse Gonzales Sr., c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923.
Online condolences may be submitted and sent using the form below. You may also email condolences to the family through "barbolafc@yahoo.com". All condolences are private and sent only to the family.