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Maria Gonzalez Obituary

Maria del Carmen Gonzalez

March 13, 1919 – June 29, 2014

Cary

Maria del Carmen Gonzalez, 95, passed away Sunday, June 29, 2014, at WakeMed Cary Hospital with those who held her dear at her side. She was born in Morovis, Puerto Rico, and moved to New York in her twenties, where she lived most of her life, until moving to Cary twenty-one years ago. Maria never married nor had children of her own, but she helped raise her brother's two daughters, when his first wife died. When her brother remarried, she also helped with the other two daughters. Maria, known as Carmen, was one who always remembered everyone's birthday all the way down to great-great nieces and nephews, until she was too old to remember.

Maria loved children. She also loved animals, especially dogs. She used to love to sew, make pastries, work crossword and Sudoku puzzles.

Maria was preceded in death by her parents, Delfin Gonzalez and Francisca Rivera; brothers, Joseph, Fernando, Francisco, and Angel Gonzalez; and niece, Carmen Carreiro.

Maria is survived by nieces, Frances Sheehan of Sunset Beach, Luz Andersen of Cary, Elizabeth Cottle of Cary, Maria Gonzalez of Puerto Rico, and Margaret DiDona of Asheboro; nephews, Joseph Gonzalez of Puerto Rico and Gustavo Gonzalez of NY. She also leaves behind many great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will be held 11:00am Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 804 High House Road, Cary, NC 27513. Burial will follow at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612.

Condolences may be sent through:

www.brownwynnecary.com

Published by The News & Observer on Jul. 1, 2014.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

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Carmen was always smiling at me. She always was interested to hear about our travels. She was very sweet and kind.
Ricki Constantine (Fort Pierce, Fl.)

July 28, 2014

I remember going to Betty's house and Carmen would come into the kitchen and would have Jasper in her arms. She was always very friendly and smiling. I can just see her now and it brings back good memories. May she rest in peace. She had a very long and good life.

Dianne Phillips

July 20, 2014

Titi, I saw The Sound of Music yesterday and couldn't help but think of you. I have so many good memories of the times we spent together. I love you and miss you!

Margie DiDona

July 18, 2014

Titi, I saw The Sound of Music yesterday and couldn't help but think of you. I have so many good memories of the times we spent together. I love you and miss you!

Margie DiDona

July 18, 2014

Aunt Carmen was the sweetest person I have ever known. She has always been a special woman to my family. She was always there for my mom. We always looked forward to seeing her and getting her cards every year.

Cassi Dees

July 16, 2014

Aunt Carmen was the sweetest person ... She always had a kind word for everybody ... She was always there to help .. May her soul rest in peace.

Lucy and Bob Andersen

Lucy Andersen

July 14, 2014

My "Aunt Carmen" was like a mother to my mother and a Grandmother to me, she never missed my birthday growing up nor most of my adult life, I think of her often and I will always cherish the memories that will be with me for the rest of my days. I love you Aunt Carmen, you will be missed but, alive in my heart....where you have been all my life

Richard Rimmer

July 13, 2014

My Great Aunt Titi was a very special lady, who I will dearly miss.

I guess I should start, when I first remembered meeting her. When I was young, my mother and I moved in to Grandma's and Grandpa's house and Titi was always there. I was really sick and could rarely play with other children or go outside, for fear of getting sick with an asthma attack or a cold. I was lonely and wanted someone to talk to. She would spend time with me. Plus she had asthma too, so she understood me in a way no one else did. She would take great pride in showing me, all of her little treasures scattered throughout her room. She would go up to each one and regale me with a story about each and every piece. She felt such pride that someone remembered her Birthday or remember her on vacation and sent her a gift. She loved those trinkets and sharing those stories.

She also liked to collect rare coins and money. They often where not that rare, but to me and her they were the very best of treasures. She would show me wheat pennies, silver quarters, dollar coins and I think she even had a buffalo head nickel. But her pride and joy was a silver certificate and a two dollar bill, she had framed on her wall. She said they were very special, because they were not made any more and never would be again. She would point out all the special things on the coins and the features of the bills. Then she would explain what each thing meant and compared them to the money that was modern at the time. I thought it was fascinating.

She also used to try to keep me from getting into trouble for doing silly kid things.

For example, she uses too keep a bag of chocolate peanut M&M's hidden in her room. I was allowed to have a few from Grandma's special crystal bowl, but they were so good, that I would often eat way too many without noticing, until they were almost gone. She would then refill the bowl, before I got in trouble!

She also used to let me play in the closet space between the two rooms upstairs. Grandpa was not very happy about this idea, but I loved that little area. It was like my own hidden club house just for me, similar to the garden in the book the secret garden. Titi would whisper a warning to me and shoo me to run, when Grandpa would come up the stairs, to see what I was getting into. I would run and jump over the shoe boxes in such a way that an Olympic Hurdler would have been jealous. I would drive on to my bed and pretend I had been playing there the whole time. Grandpa would then walk into the room, giving me a look and mumble something in Titi's direction, then go back down stairs. Then I would run to Titi's room and we would laugh about it together.

She also let me throw dirty socks and light weight balls down the bathroom laundry shoot and run down the stairs to see where it landed. We would then set up different containers below it and I run back upstairs and try to get things to land in them. I used to think it was the most interesting thing ever. It is funny what children find entertaining.

I was so happy when she moved to North Carolina from New York.

I don't think she ever meet a dog she didn't like. She would adopt each one, as if they were her children. She adored animals and the normally adored her, especially since she always gave them snacks.

In a more recent memory, she spent the weekend with us. Just like when I was a child, she loved spending time with my daughter. My dog Julie curled up beside her, with her little puppy head on her lap, looking at her like Titi hung the moon by snuggling and petting her little head. My daughter sat beside her, regaling her, with all anyone never wanted to know about fictional, flying, unicorn, princess ponies, with cutie marks that gave them magic powers and sing ridiculous, over the top, happy songs, to the horror of parents worldwide. In essence, My Little Pony. They sat and talked together about these ponies for quite a while and asked what royal ponies did. Vickie was so happy talking to her about the ponies and Titi looked happy to be talking with someone, even if she did sometimes switch to Spanish half way through the sentence and have to be reminded that Vickie only spoke English. But that did not seem to affect their relationship at all. They had fun spending time together and they both had big smiles on their faces and light in their eyes.

Titi was at every birthday party, Thanksgiving and Christmas she could be at, until she got too old to go. It always saddened me when she was unable to attend, but I under stood. Holidays will not be the same without her.

I know that I will forever keep these memories of her in my heart and through those memories she will continue to live through us all.

Rebecca, Richard, Jason & Victoria Forbes

July 3, 2014

Carmen will always be missed for gentle nature, her interest and curiosity of world and stars, and her conversations on the changes in our world over the past many years. But most Carmen will be remember for her devotion to family particularly in times of need and her acts of kindness to friends, family, and those passing by. We will miss you Carmen.

Dennis Cottle

July 3, 2014

Aunt Carmen you are already missed. You were moms guardian Angel here on earth. You helped me understand mom better as I grew into an adult. I love you so much and now you can join mom and keep her company. God Bless You Aunt Carmen Love Bryant

Bryant Rimmer

July 3, 2014

Titi, you have and will always hold a special place in my heart. It is going to be hard at first to not have you in my life. You have always been there. I thank you for all you have taught me and especially for being unselfish and having patience, which I continue to work on. I know that Jasper is going to be missing you a bunch too. I told him what happened when I came home from the hospital. I held him and cried. I think he knows. He has been acting a little strange. Last night he stood at the edge of the bed just staring into the darkness like he was waiting for someone, or maybe he saw you. I was trying desperately last night looking for a lock of his hair to tie in a ribbon to bring with you. I could not find it and unfortunately he had a hair cut. Just know he misses and loves you too. Have a wonderful journey.

Elizabeth Cottle

July 2, 2014

My aunt and friend, Carmen, being a mystic, a student of esoterica, and a member of secret societies, used to engage me in conversations about the mysteries of the human mind and the universe, since I too walked the same path.
Both of us are and were convinced of life eternal and knew that physical death is just a release to explore the magnificence of the universe without the limits of the human body. I will see her on the other side when it is my time to go.
Carmen is not dead, just her body.
Do not be sad for her, be happy that she is free!
Pepito, San Juan, PR

JOSE GONZALEZ

July 1, 2014

What a special lady! We are grateful to have known her. Sending the family love and peace at this time. Ed & Louise DiDona

July 1, 2014

Titi, I'm already missing you. You were my favorite aunt. Love you from here to eternity.

Marie González

July 1, 2014

"God Bless All Of Us" is something she said all the time, all the way up to the last days she was here. She lived her life with unwavering faith. What a blessing to spend your whole life with your eyes on the prize at the end, to be reunited with the Father. She went like a beacon of light, lighting the way for the rest of us.

Jennifer Frame

July 1, 2014

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