May 7, 1935 – Jan 26, 2023. Horacio was born in Austin, to Reverend Ignacio and Mrs. Gregoria (Garcia) Gonzalez. He was the fourth of five children. In 1941 the Gonzalez’s moved to Corpus Christi, where Horacio graduated from Roy Miller High School.
Always mechanically inclined, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he was trained as an aircraft mechanic. Upon completion of his service, he earned his commercial Airframe/Powerplant certification from Northrup Institute of Technology in Inglewood, California and joined American Airlines at LAX airport.
He met Gloria Klein at Alto Frio Baptist Camp (Leaky, Texas) and they married in 1964. Their first son, Armando, arrived two years later. The young family relocated from California to Irving, in 1968, where their second son, Samuel, was born.
Horacio continued working for American Airlines for 36 years, earning AA’s coveted “Golden Wrench” award of top mechanics – selected by their peers. His fellow mechanics called him “Speedy.” He loved fixing airplanes, cars, and everything else.
His top priorities were his faith and family. He loved music and singing in church choirs wherever he was, especially the classic hymns. When he wasn’t fixing things, he spent his time with his wife and boys, doing many home improvements, inventing novel ways of distributing newspapers from the back of a motorcycle, riding dirt-bikes, camping, skiing (water and snow), golfing, flying model airplanes, visiting Europe, and visiting brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces all over Texas at their graduations, weddings, and milestone events.
Upon retiring from American Airlines Horacio and Gloria relocated to their dream home on Legacy Hills Golf Course in Sun City (Georgetown). He played golf in his ‘souped up’ golf cart several times a week with new friends and rode his Harley into his early 80s.
Frugal and firm, loving and generous, he was a great husband, dad, and uncle. He was a great friend and neighbor. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gloria, his son Samuel, son Armando and daughter-in-law, Judy. He will be greatly missed by his immediate family, many nephews, nieces, and brothers and sisters in-law.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation to support the Lacy Seminary in Oaxaca, Mexico. Donations can be addressed as follows:
Texas Baptist Missions Foundation
7557 Rambler Road, Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75231-2388
Attn: Julie Galindo
Please indicate that the donation is in honor of Horacio Gonzalez in support of the Lacy Seminary.
You can also donate online by going to
www.missionsfoundation.org and click on the “donate” button with a note about it being in honor of Horacio Gonzalez to support the Lacy Seminary in the “Designation” text box.