The Brownsville Herald - Online Edition Obituaries May 19, 2006 MARIA C. ELIZONDO, 91, passed away on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, in Yakima, Wash. Funeral arrangements are pending under Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista, 125 McDavitt Blvd., (956) 541-5400. HOMERO VALDEZ, 61, passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at Valley Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are pending under Guerra Funeral Home, 3955 Coffeeport Road, (956) 544-1171. BENITO CRUZ BERNAL, 78, passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2006, at Doctors Hospital in Houston. Funeral arrangements are pending under Guerra Funeral Home, 3955 Coffeeport Road (956) 544-1171. PAULA G. GARCIA, 86, of San Benito, passed away on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 19, 2006, at Queen of the Universe Catholic Church in San Benito. Interment will follow at Mont Meta Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements are under Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston Blvd. (956) 399-1331. JOSE ISABEL "CHABELO" VEGA, 73, of Los Fresnos, passed away Thursday, May 18, 2006, at Harlingen Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are pending under Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, 395 S. Sam Houston Blvd. (956) 399-1331. JUAN RESENDEZ Juan Resendez, 90, passed away Tuesday, May 16, 2006, in Houston, Texas. He was a native of Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and had been a resident of Los Fresnos for many years. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Josefa Cardenas Resendez; five daughters, Mrs. Guadalupe Lamas, Maria de la Luz Resendez, Rebecca Ramirez, Rosaura Villanueva and Juana Elizabeth Flores; two sons, Rodolfo Resendez and Artemio Mata; a brother, Gilberto Resendez; 22 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, 11 great-great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces and other relatives. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. today, Friday, May 19, 2006. Mass of the Resurrection will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, 2006, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Committal services will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park. Funeral arrangements are under the directions of Joe I Treviño and Garza Memorial Funeral homes, 1025 E. Jackson St. (956) 542-5511. GERARDO "JERRY" GONZALES Funeral Services for Gerardo "Jerry" Gonzales, 48, of Conroe, Texas, formerly of Brownsville, are set for 2 p.m. Sunday, May 21, 2006, at Metcalf Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a holy rosary to be recited at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Jerry was born April 12, 1958 in Lima, Ohio and passed away May 17, 2006, in Conroe. He is survived by his mother, Maria Gonzales; father, Guadalupe Gonzales; grandmother, Francisca Torres; daughters, Heather, Jennifer and Brittany Gonzales; sons, Jerry Jr. and Joel Gonzales; brothers, Guadalupe Gonzales Jr. and wife Diane and Hector Gonzales and wife Cynthia J.; and numerous other relatives and friends. Jerry was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. To leave a tribute in memory of Jerry, please visit www.mem.com Funeral arrangements are under Metcalf Funeral Directors, 1801 E. White Oak Terrace, Conroe, Texas 77304 (936) 756-3311. LUIS CARLOS ZARATE Luis Carlos Zarate, 74, of Brownsville, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. Luis was born on June 6, 1931, in Brownsville, Texas to Juan D. and Maria Luisa Gutierrez Zarate. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and worked for the Brownsville Fire Department for about 37 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Evangelina Zarate; his son, Leonel Zarate; and two brothers, Juan O. Zarate and Norberto A. Zarate. He is survived by his sons, Luis Daniel (Gracie) Zarate of Chicago, Juan Carlos (Melrene) Zarate and Gerardo Zarate of Brownsville; a step-son, Javier Santos (Lourdes) Rios of Brownsville; daughters, Leticia Zarate of Brownsville and Martha Imelda (Ruben) Morales of Brownsville; a sister, Francis (Dan) Ramirez; 16 grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with a holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. today, Friday, May 19, 2006, in the Darling-Mouser Chapel. Mass of Resurrection will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Full Military Honors will be conducted by the American Legion Post 43 Honor Guard and by the Brownsville Fire Department Honor Guard. Pallbearers will be Luis Daniel Zarate, Juan Carlos Zarate, Jeffrey Jordan Zarate, Gerardo Zarate, Ruben Morales and Javier Rios. Honorary pallbearers will be Dane Zarate and Jose Luis Santana. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home, 945 Palm Blvd. (956) 546-7111. SIMON GAMBOA Simon Gamboa, 73, born on May 18, 1932 entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, May 17, 2006, at his home residence in Brownsville, Texas. Simon was a magnificent and exceptional husband, dedicated father and grandfather. He was always looking after the well being of his loving family and friends. Mr. Gamboa is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Rosa; his 12 children: sons, Jose Luis (Maria) Gamboa, Simon Jr. (Esther) Gamboa, Riguberto (Ramona) Gamboa, of Brownsville, Federico (Betty) Gamboa of Austin, and Arnoldo (Esmeralda) Gamboa of Indianapolis; daughters, Guadalupe (Jose Luis) Martinez of Houston, Alma (Martin) Ramires of Indianapolis, Yolanda L. (Mike) Kelly of Edinburg, Blanca (Daniel) Moreno, Silvia Patricia (Napo) Gonzalez, Gloria (Joe) Solis and Mary R. (Clint) Arambula, all of Brownsville. Among the survivors are his brothers and sisters; Esteban Gamboa Torres, Angelica Gamboa Martinez and Maria Olivo of Matamoros, 23 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, numerous nephews and nieces. Visitation was held from noon to 9 p.m. with a recitation of the holy rosary at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 18, 2006, at Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista. Mass of Resurrection will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 19, 2006 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Simon will always be remembered for his loving role in this life as a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and a good friend. Even though he has left us, he'll never be forgotten and will always be in our hearts and life. Rest in peace until we meet again. Funeral services have been entrusted to Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista, cemeteries, mausoleums and crematory 125 McDavitt Blvd. (956) 541-5400. JORGE GARZA Jorge Garza, 47, of Laguna Heights passed away on May 16, 2006 in Brownsville. Mr. Garza worked as a captain and a shrimper with Zimco Marine and the Port of Brownsville. He was a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Port Isabel, where he was a lifelong resident as well. His brother, Ruben Garza Jr, precedes him in death. He is survived by his wife, Rosa P. Garza of Laguna Heights; two daughters, Georgina Marie (Rodrigo) Garza and Lisa Garza, both of Port Isabel; his father, Ruben (Maria) Garza of Laguna Heights; his mother, Oralia Garcia, of Brownsville; paternal grandmother, Guadalupe D. Garza, of Port Isabel; seven sisters, Norma Lou Garza, Rosa Imelda Garza, Maria Lourdes Garza Ochoa, Martha Anna Garza, Ruvina Garza, Esmeralda Garza, and Susanna Decker; four brothers, Ruben M. Garza, Eduardo Montoya Garza, Gavino Garza and Juan Garza; numerous aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces. Visitation will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, May 19, 2006, at the funeral home and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Port Isabel. Words of comfort may be sent to the family at thomaegarza.com. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, 2006, at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Cremation will be held after the Mass. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Thomae-Garza Funeral Home, 395 S. Sam Houston Blvd., San Benito, Texas 78586, (956) 399-1331. The Brownsville Herald 1135 E. Van Buren Brownsville, TX 78520 956-542-4301 1-800-488-4301 © 2000 The Brownsville Herald