Jose A Gonzalez

Jose Antonio Gonzalez, 80, of New York City, NY, passed away on December 11th, 2023 in Ocala. Jose was born in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico to Felipe and Providencia Gonzalez on January 11th, 1943. He went to high school at New York City and graduated in 1968. He worked as a District Director for the New York City Housing Authority for 10 years until he retired in 1997. He enjoyed crossword puzzles, watching baseball, reading great books, Rush Limbaugh, and dinner with family and friends. Legend has it that he was an incredible stickball player on the streets of NYC because he copied Mickey Mantle’s mighty swing. Jose (aka Joe) is survived by his wife, Elba, sons Joseph (Lissette), Andrew (Debbie), and Mark, daughter Lisa (Miki), grandsons Michael, Mathew, Christopher, and Brandon and his only granddaughter Dayana. He is preceded in death by his parents, Providencia and Felipe, his brothers Tony and Tito, and his sister Maria. Funeral service will be held at Roberts Funeral Home Ocala West on Monday, December 18th at 1pm with Father Raul of St. Jude’s officiating. Roberts of Ocala Funerals and Cremations will be handling the funeral arrangements. Jose was born on the island of Puerto Rico and raised 4 children in Manhattan in NYC. As a child in Puerto Rico, he was so advanced in his academics that he was designated to attend the University of Caguas at the age of 10! He never got to go to college because he moved to NYC in 1951. He met his wife at St. Mary’s Church and fell in love with her singing in the choir. Joe worked hard and gave his family a great life. After obtaining his HS diploma, he went from mopping the stairwells of the housing projects to becoming the first ever Puerto Rican born District Director for NYC Housing Authority. He was given an incredible retirement party after 37 years with numerous citations and well-earned praise. He was President of the Hispanic Society during that time and was even the main focus in an article written in the NY Times newspaper for completing a large-scale project for lower Manhattan residents. In the late 90s, Joe retired to Florida where he was able to enjoy a great life of sunshine and tranquility. He lived in NJ for a few years in between and spent a lot of time with his beloved grandsons watching them grow up into great young men. Times spent with family on both sides was something he cherished, especially when it involved Puerto Rican dishes and loud family gatherings. Going fishing with his brothers-in-law (Israel and Louie) was another favorite way to enjoy the tranquility of the ocean away from the city during a much-needed break from his demanding schedule. Of all the things he loved doing, nothing topped being in the pristine air of the Adirondack mountains in Lake George upstate NY. Joe loved being with family and friends in the log cabins far away from the noise of the city. He cherished the moments where he could work on a crossword puzzle on the deck with a hot cup of coffee and his wife relaxing by his side, while his children were roaming the mountainside enjoying the summer break. It is with sadness that we say goodbye to a beloved father, a dedicated husband, an admired grandfather, and a generous friend to many. He was also a loving uncle, a role model to his brothers (Jose, Angel, and Danny) and sisters (Tati and Margie), an incredible son to is aging parents, and an admirer of those who educated themselves to the fullest while remaining a good person.

Jose A Gonzalez

January 11, 1943 - December 11, 2023