Fabiola “Fab” Gonzales, age 78, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 6, 2017 in Albuquerque, NM.
From her birth in Ocate, NM on December 25, 1938 to her death on Saturday, she nourished people around her with love, faith, and music.
She was born to Albert and Carlota Fernandez and was the third of eight children. Her parents would later move her and her siblings to Cimarron where Albert and Carlota would settle down for good and raise their family.
At a young age Fabiola began attending church and found a deep love and appreciation for God. She was an active church patron until her passing. After graduating from high school, she would meet Elias Gonzales. Without telling their parents, the two love birds were married in Taos, NM and later married through the Catholic Church in Cimarron.
Elias and Fab bought a home in Cimarron where they raised their children. Needing to make enough money to support their new family. Elias became a truck driver, driving eighteen wheelers all over the country for 25 years while Fab stayed home raising their young children.
Once their children were School aged, Elias and Fab would eventually find work in Cimarron. Fab would go to work for the Public school in Cimarron where she found her love for helping and teaching the children for the Cimarron-Eagle Nest-Angel Fire area. Fab and Elias would eventually go to work for Russel’s where Fab was the Manager for the Cree-Mee Drive-In. After retiring from the Cree-Mee, at 55 years old, Fab would began attending Luna Community College where she would receive an Associate’s Degree in Office Administration. While she was so honored and happy to have her degree completed, her calling to help our youth remained strong.
At age 60 Fab would return to work for the Cimarron Public Schools where she worked with special education students. She would eventually “retire” from full-time status, but remained at the schools nearly every day substituting for all grade levels. Students form all generations loved, “Ms. Fab”, many of which stayed in contact with her long after they were out of school.
Left to honor Fab and remember her love are her Husband Elias and their children, Elias and wife Rebekah Gonzales of Albuquerque, NM, Malcolm Gonzales of Cimarron, NM and Laura Gonzales of Cimarron, NM, step-sons Henry and wife Katie of Wright, WY, and Andrew Gonzales of Cimarron. She is also survived by her 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grand Children, her two sisters Rita and Dolores, and her four brothers, Julian, Fred, Johnny and Robert. Numerous God children, nieces and nephews.
Fab was preceded in death by her parents, brother Vito, and sister Elvira. Fabiola will be remembered as a bright, shinning, light in the lives of the various students, friends, family members and the entire community of Cimarron that she touched.
Recitation of the Most Holy Rosary will be Friday, May 12, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Sister Hildegard Parish Hall, followed by reading of the Eulogy at 10:30 a.m. Solemn Mass of The Resurrection will be at 11:00 a.m. at the Sister Hildegard Parish Hall, with Father Emmanuel Izuka officiating. Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at the Mountain View Cemetery. The family will greet friends at 9:30 a.m. at the Sister Hildegard Parish Hall until time of service. A dinner will follow at the Sister Hildegard Parish Hall, located at 440 W. 18th St. in Cimarron immediately after internment.
The Family would like to extend our gratitude to all the family and friends for the incredible support through this difficult time. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Fabiola’s name to the Immaculate Conception Church in Cimarron, N.M.
Arrangements for Fabiola “Fab” Gonzales are under the direction the Alderette-Pomeroy Funeral Home.
