The Brownsville Herald - Online Edition Obituaries May 12, 2006 DEATH NOTICES MIGUEL ANGEL RODRIGUEZ JR., 20, passed away on Sunday, May 7, 2006, in Oklahoma. A chapel service will be held at 3 p.m. today, May 12, 2006, at Guerra Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Funeral arrangements are under Guerra Funeral Home, 3955 Coffee Port Road, (956) 544-1171. OBITUARIES GONZALO GARCIA Gonzalo García, 78, athletics coach, educator and civic philanthropist, died on May 1, 2006, in Brownsville, Texas. A Brownsville native, he had been living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, since 2001. Gonzalo García was born on Christmas Day 1927, the third of five sons and one daughter of José Manuel and Santos Zamora García. Mr. García was preceded in death by his brothers Vidal, Alfredo, Rodolfo and Enrique García, and a sister, Concepción Garcia. He is survived by his children, Elda, and husband Richard Pinsonneault of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Grady García and Sarah García of Austin, Nathan García of Naas County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, Naomi García and partner Janice Murray of Grand Rapids, Michigan; three grandchildren, Phillip, Alicia and Jonathan Pinsonneault of Albuquerque; an uncle, Manuel Zamora of Brownsville; sisters-in-law Raquel García of Mercedes, Texas, and Maria Luisa García, of Brownsville; numerous nephews; nieces and cousins. The family would like to acknowledge Juan and Oralia Ramírez and David and Mayra Ramírez for their selfless support and loving care of our dad. Visitation will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with an evening service at 7 p.m., today, May 12, 2006 at Garza Memorial Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2006, at Brownsville's First United Methodist Church, 1225 Boca Chica Blvd., with Rev. Laura Adam officiating. Committal services with full military honors conducted by the American Legion Post No. 43 Veterans Honor Guard will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Honorary pallbearers will be Rolando Aguilar, Larry Herrera, Frank Maldonado, Pat L. Pace Sr., James Pace II, David Ramírez, Juan M. Ramírez, René Ramírez and Joe Salinas. Pallbearers will be Kenneth Alcalá, Tony Campos, Albert Castro Jr., Enrique García, Jose Manuel (JM) García, Roger García, Sergio García, Uvaldo García, Rudy G. Rincón and Zaul Zamora. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Joe I. Treviño, Garza Memorial Funeral Home, 1025 East Jackson Street, (956) 542-5511. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to: Sunshine Haven Inc., Memorial Building Fund, P.O. Box 4478, Brownsville, TX 78526 Good Neighbor Settlement House, 1254 East Tyler Street, Brownsville, Texas 78520 St. John's United Methodist Church, Organ Fund, 2626 Arizona NE, Albuquerque, N.M., 87110 or First United Methodist Church, 1225 Boca Chica Boulevard, Brownsville, TX 78520. MARIA GONZALEZ Maria Gonzalez, 85, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville. She is preceded in death by her husband, Raul Gonzalez, and sons Raul Gonzalez Jr., Reynaldo Gonzalez and Rolando Gonzalez. Maria Gonzalez is survived by her daughters, Raquel (Aulca Rolando) Christman of Houston, Rosario (E.J.) Smith of Alabama, Maria (Jose Luis) Juarez, Norma (Mario) Garza and Alma (Martin) Martinez. A sister, Ernestina Gutierrez, and brother Jesus Mendez, both of California. Among the survivors are 18 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Maria's favorite hobby was playing bingo. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2006, with a holy rosary to be recited at 7 p.m. at Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista. Mass of Resurrection will be held at noon on Saturday, May 13, 2006, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Committal service to follow at Buena Vista Burial Park. Serving as pallbearers will be, Fernando Avalos Jr., Martin Martinez, Luis Antonio Garcia, Israel Moreno, Aulca Christman, Mario Garza, Christopher Christman and Aulca Rolando Christman Jr. Funeral services have been entrusted to Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista, cemeteries, mausoleums and crematory, 125 McDavitt Blvd., Brownsville, Texas, 78521, (956) 541-5400. MAURINE MCLELLAND KOONCE Maurine McLelland Koonce, 95, died May 3, 2006, at her retirement home in Phoenix, Arizona, where she had lived the past six years. Maurine was born in Bardwell, Texas, on July 18, 1910, to Hermie Baker McLelland and Albert Martin McLelland. A graduate of Baylor University, she taught in public schools in Cameron County, Texas, until her retirement, then continued teaching youngsters as a HOSTS volunteer for an additional 20 years. Preceded in death by her husband, James D. Koonce. Maurine is survived by her son, Dr. James D. Koonce Jr. of Little Rock, Ark.; daughter and son-in-law, Sandy and Wilson Worthington of Carefree, Ariz.; grandsons Loren Worthington of Phoenix, Ariz., and Andy Worthington of Williams, Ariz.; granddaughter Heather Koonce Steer (Nigel); great-grandchildren Mackenzie and Riley Steer of Victoria, British Columbia; sister and brother-in-law LuSiddie and Jack Carlisle of San Benito, Texas; sister-in-law Lois McLelland of Harlingen, Texas; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service for Maurine was held on Monday, May 8, 2006, at the Chapel of The Terraces of Phoenix. A brief graveside service will take place on Saturday, May 13, 2006, at the Restlawn Memorial Park, La Feria, Texas. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Library, The Terraces of Phoenix, 7550 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85020. Arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, (956) 423-3636. The Brownsville Herald 1135 E. Van Buren Brownsville, TX 78520 956-542-4301 1-800-488-4301 © 2000 The Brownsville Herald