Gonzales, Ben Obituary

Gonzales, Ben attended Horace Mann High School in Gary, IN. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Gonzales, Ben.

Graduation Year	Class of 1961
Date of Passing	Jul 31, 2019
About	Ben Gonzales, 77, of Lewis Center, Ohio, passed away on July 31, 2019. Ben is survived by his daughter Jennifer (Chris) Myers, son Jason (Marie) Gonzales, his grandchildren Alexandria and Samantha Myers, and Jackson and Isabella Flint-Gonzales. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and extended family. He is the last of his immediate family including his parents Jesus and Maria Gonzalez and siblings Irma, Jesse and Rene. Ben served his country in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, never having to serve combat duty. The G.I. Bill enabled him to attend the University of Illinois and enjoy a long, successful career in Human Relations. His greatest passions were being outdoors and reading. Those who knew him know that he was at his happiest on a boat, line in the water. Like any good angler, he loved telling his fishing stories, punctuating them with his warm, hearty laugh. He was a friend to many with his gregarious nature. He was always generous, giving to too many charities to list here. Indeed, he was always eager to be helpful to anyone in need. In addition to giving money, he often gave his time. He was a camp counselor at a camp for mentally handicapped children, he helped teach illiterate adults to read, and volunteered in homeless shelters. As a youth soccer coach, he bought soccer shoes for children who couldn’t afford them. He never hesitated to go out of his way to be helpful, never expecting recognition. Those wanting to leave a gift in his honor should give a donation in his name to St. Jude’s hospital. He would be happy to know that children will be given help in his name. There will be a celebration of Ben’s life at his nephew Michael’s house near Indianapolis on Saturday, August 10th. Those wanting to attend should contact the family for details