Hiram Gonzalez Sr.

Hiram Gonzalez, 81, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, November 6, 2021. He was the beloved husband of Cecilia (Cardona) Gonzalez.

He was born in Aguada, Puerto Rico, December 2, 1939, a son of the late Máximo Gonzalez and Celeste Román and graduated from Aguada High School. He moved to Meriden and worked at Cytec for 40 years until his retirement. He also worked as an auto mechanic from his home garage. Hiram was an active parishioner of St. Rose of Lima Church where his passion of music led him to sing in the Spanish Choir and become a member of the Movimiento de Cursillo de Cristiandad and the Pequeñas Comunidades Biblicas. He loved to garden and was an avid fan of the N.Y. Yankees.

In addition to his wife Cecilia, he is survived by his five children and their spouses, Hiram and Angela Gonzalez Jr.  of Meriden, Noel and Sofia Gonzalez of Meriden, Nolberto and Lupita Gonzalez of Meriden, Noemi and Alejandro Figueroa of El Paso, TX, and William and Anaritha Gonzalez of Manassas, VA; his 21 grandchildren, Lauren Gonzalez, Nathaniel Gonzalez, Judith Gonzalez, Jonathan Gonzalez, Jessica Gonzalez, Fabian Gonzalez, Marissa Gonzalez, Isaac Gonzalez, Brianna Gonzalez, Christian Gonzalez, Raynick Vazquez and his wife Stephanie, Eric Vazquez, Tanya Vazquez, Josefa Gonzalez, Therese Gonzalez, Gianna Gonzalez, Jacinta Gonzalez, Maximilian Gonzalez, Veronica Gonzalez, Chiara Gonzalez, and Gabriel Gonzalez; his five great grandchildren, Jaselene, Johanna, Skye, Eva and Amiyah; his siblings, Celia Gonzalez, Ana Isabell Gonzalez, Marcelino Gonzalez, Carlos Luis Gonzalez and his wife Isolina, and Maria Emma Bonilla and her husband Andre; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his great grandson Bryce; and his siblings, Luis Enrique Gonzalez and his wife Maria, Melanio Gonzalez and Maximo Gonzalez Jr. and his wife Carmen; as well as his in-laws, César Guillet, Anco Gonzalez and Emilia Gonzalez.

His family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 N. Main St. Ext., Thursday, Nov. 11th from 4-7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10 am directly at St. Rose of Lima Church in Meriden. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Meriden.  www.wallingfordfh.com

 

Euology

On behalf of our family, I would like to thank each one of you for supporting us with your loving presence and prayers for the last few days, at the wake and here today.  The time you have taken to be here means the world to us.

One of my fondest early childhood memories of my Father was when I occasionally climbed up onto his lap when he returned home from a long day’s work.  After he showered and put on his pajamas, He would relax in his lazyboy and watch a show filled with comic relief to make him laugh like the Jetsons or Sanford and Son. Settling into his lap, I touched his crucifix, which he always wore dangling around his neck.  Wrapped in the warmth and security of my father’s love, I drifted off to sleep on his chest knowing he would soon snooze off himself.

As a child, I did not grasp the magnitude of the lessons he taught in those simple moments. However, day in and day out, he bore witness to a life lived with steady faithfulness.

Faithfulness to God, family and work.

Dad was a man of few words. He chose instead to lead our family by example.   He demonstrated this in his dedication to work.  He worked for Cytec in Wallingford for 40 years before retiring in 2001. In jest, his co-workers affectionately nicknamed him “Speedy.”  However, we all know the truth-he really should have been called “Pokey” because he took his time doing a job to ensure it was done right the first time, just as his father taught him.  Yes, there might have been some perfectionist tendencies there, but the lesson was clear…don’t cut corners, do things right, even if it takes more time.   We got daily doses of that message at home or when we worked with him in the garage.  In addition to his full time job, he had a part time business on the side as an auto-mechanic, doing everything he could to give us a better life.  And he succeeded.  Catholic education was a must for my parents, and he sacrificed so much to provide that for us to ensure we had a good foundation in the faith.  That faith was passed on to us and now to our own children.

Dad was a man steady and faithful in his love.  Dad had his faults but he did not let this stop him from loving us from the depths of his heart.  He was totally dedicated to mom, loving her for 6o years of marriage, through good times and bad, and through sickness and health.  Their love was rooted in their treasured Catholic faith.  Dad would often tell us when we were adults in our own marriages, “Jesus is the glue to keep your marriage strong.”  When we were young and Dad struggled to put us through Catholic school, our vacations were simple and short.  There were treasured family outings to the beach and amusement parks, and one trip to Puerto Rico.   In his retirement years, we enjoyed spending more time with him and our families.  Mom and Dad spoke of moving to Florida, but they never took that step to be away from the family and this wonderful community they both loved so much.  Then after Hiram’s accident, his mission was clear…selfless service to helping him and his family with whatever they needed.  They never talked about moving to Florida after that.  He was steady and faithful in his love and service to the family.   

Dad was a man of faith. During his lifetime, he witnessed the church go through many ups and downs, with politics and changes of administrations, however, each and every week when Sunday dawned Dad was to be found in the same exact spot at mass. Right there. He dedicated many years working at Cursillo retreats as a speaker and director.  He was loved by many with his big smile and beautiful singing voice.  I have happy memories of Dad singing in the Parrandas during Christmas and other church gatherings, and seeing the joy he brought to all those around us with his charisma.  He also had a knack for telling jokes and striking up conversation with strangers wherever he went.  The joy he expressed to others came from the depth of his faith, which found its birth in the Cursillo movement, where he encountered Our Lord. He knew at the heart of our faith is a relationship with a person.  And that person’s name is Jesus Christ.  At mass, he was fed by Christ’s divine presence in the Holy Eucharist. At mass he praised God in song with his strong voice as a member of the choir unceasingly for so many years, until his strength diminished and he couldn’t anymore.  At mass, he strengthened the bonds of Christian love with so many of you in the community. This faith in God, found and nurtured by Cursillo eventually won over his heart and led him to confront his struggle with alcoholism.  I was never more proud of my Dad than the day he began AA, acknowledging his weakness and committing himself to sobriety.

As I reflected on his life on earth, I arrived at the realization that the legacy he left behind was contained in those cherished memories I spent as a little boy on my father’s lap. The security of his love demonstrated the importance of dedication to family, the peaceful slumber was the result of hard work in providing for our family, and lastly the crucifix, placed near his heart, taught me to put Jesus in the center of my life.  Jesus would give my life purpose, security, peace and joy.

As his last days on earth came to a close, he left us one final lesson:  When the days were long with discomfort and struggles I would often call from Virginia and ask him how he was doing.  And he simply replied ”Estoy bastante bien Gracias a Dios” “I’m doing rather well, thanks be to God.”  He refused to complain and instead gave gratitude to God in the midst of his sufferings.

To the end, Dad was steady and faithful.

 

En nombre de nuestra familia, me gustaría agradecer a cada uno de ustedes por apoyarnos con su presencia amorosa y oraciones durante los últimos días, en el velorio y aquí hoy. El tiempo que se han tomado para estar aquí significa el mundo para nosotros.

Uno de mis mejores recuerdos de la primera infancia de mi padre fue cuando ocasionalmente me subía a sus regazo cuando regresaba a casa de un largo día de trabajo. Después de ducharse y ponerse el pijama, se relajaba en su sillón y veía un espectáculo cómico para hacerlo reír como los Supersónicos o Sanford and Son. Acomodándome en su regazo, toqué su crucifijo, que siempre llevaba colgando de su cuello. Envuelto en la calidez y la seguridad del amor de mi padre, me quedé dormido sobre su pecho sabiendo que pronto se dormiría.

Cuando era niño, no comprendí la magnitud de las lecciones que me enseñaba en esos momentos simples. Sin embargo, día tras día, dio testimonio de una vida vivida con fidelidad constante.

Fidelidad a Dios, a la familia y al trabajo.

Papá era un hombre de pocas palabras. En cambio, eligió guiar a nuestra familia con el ejemplo. Lo demostró en su dedicación al trabajo. Trabajó para Cytec en Wallingford durante 40 años antes de retirarse en 2001. En broma, sus compañeros de trabajo lo apodó cariñosamente "Speedy". Sin embargo, todos sabemos la verdad: realmente debería haber sido llamado "Pokey" o “lento” porque se tomó su tiempo haciendo un trabajo para asegurarse de que se hiciera bien la primera vez, tal como su padre le enseñó. Sí, podría haber habido algunas tendencias perfeccionistas, pero la lección fue clara ... no cortes esquinas, haz las cosas bien, incluso si cogiera más tiempo. Recibimos dosis diarias de ese mensaje en casa o cuando trabajamos con él en el garaje. Además de su trabajo a tiempo completo, tenía un negocio a tiempo parcial como mecánico de automóviles, haciendo todo lo posible para darnos una vida mejor. Y lo consiguió. La educación católica era requisito para mis padres, y él sacrificó tanto para proporcionarlo para nosotros, para asegurarnos de que tuviéramos una buena base en la fe. Esa fe nos fue transmitida a nosotros y ahora a nuestros propios hijos.

Papá era un hombre firme y fiel en su amor. Papá tenía sus faltas, pero no dejó que esto le impidiera amarnos desde lo más profundo de su corazón. Estaba totalmente dedicado a mamá, amándola durante 6o años de matrimonio, a través de buenos y malos momentos, y a través de la enfermedad y la salud. Su amor estaba arraigado en su preciada fe católica. Papá a menudo nos decía cuando éramos adultos en nuestros propios matrimonios: "Jesús es el pegamento para mantener el matrimonio fuerte". Cuando éramos jóvenes y papá se esforzaba por llevarnos a la escuela católica, nuestras vacaciones eran simples y cortas. Hubo atesoradas salidas familiares a la playa y parques de diversiones, y viajamos una ves a Puerto Rico como familia. En sus años de jubilación, disfrutamos pasar más tiempo con él y nuestras familias. Mamá y papá hablaron de mudarse a Florida, pero nunca dieron ese paso para estar lejos de la familia y esta maravillosa comunidad que ambos amaban tanto. Luego, después del accidente de Hiram Jr., su misión estaba clara ... servicio desinteresado para ayudarlo a él y a su familia con lo que necesitaran. Nunca hablaron de mudarse a Florida después de eso. Fue firme y fiel en su amor y servicio a la familia.

Papá era un hombre de fe. Durante su vida, fue testigo de cómo la iglesia pasaba por muchos altibajos, con políticas y cambios de administraciones, sin embargo, todas y cada una de las semanas, cuando amanecía el domingo, papá se encontraba en el mismo lugar exacto en la misa. Justo ahí. Dedicó muchos años a trabajar en retiros de Cursillo como orador y director. Fue amado por muchos con su gran sonrisa y su hermosa voz de canto. Tengo recuerdos felices de papá cantando en las Parrandas durante la Navidad y otras reuniones de la iglesia, y viendo la alegría que trajo a todos los que nos rodeaban con su carisma. También tenía una habilidad especial para contar chistes y entablar conversaciones con extraños dondequiera que fuera. La alegría que expresó a los demás provino de la profundidad de su fe, que encontró su nacimiento en el movimiento de Cursillos, donde se encontró con Nuestro Señor. Él sabía que en el corazón de nuestra fe hay una relación con una persona. Y el nombre de esa persona es Jesucristo. En la misa, fue alimentado por la presencia divina de Cristo en la Sagrada Eucaristía. En la misa alabó a Dios en canto con su fuerte voz como miembro del coro incesantemente durante tantos años, hasta que su fuerza disminuyó y ya no pudo. En la misa, fortaleció los lazos de amor cristiano con muchos de ustedes en la comunidad. Esta fe en Dios, encontrada y alimentada por Cursillo, finalmente se ganó su corazón y lo llevó a enfrentar su lucha contra el alcoholismo. Nunca estuve más orgullosa de mi papá que el día en que comenzó AA, reconociendo su debilidad y comprometiéndose con la sobriedad.

Mientras reflexionaba sobre su vida en la tierra, me di cuenta de que el legado que dejó estaba contenido en esos recuerdos preciados que pasé cuando era niño en el regazo de mi padre. La seguridad de su amor demostró la importancia de la dedicación a la familia, el sueño fue el resultado del arduo trabajo para mantener a nuestra familia, y por último, el crucifijo, colocado cerca de su corazón, me enseñó a poner a Jesús en el centro de mi vida. Jesús le daría a mi vida propósito, seguridad, paz y gozo.

Cuando sus últimos días en la tierra llegaron a su fin, nos dejó una última lección: cuando los días eran largos con incomodidad y luchas, a menudo llamaba desde Virginia y le preguntaba cómo estaba. Y él simplemente respondía "Estoy bastante bien Gracias a Dios.”  Se negó a quejarse y en su lugar dio gratitud a Dios en medio de sus sufrimientos.

Hasta el final, papá fue firme y fiel.