Bonifacio Gonzales Rivera
Obituary
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, Bonifacio Gonzales Rivera, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away at the age of 84.
Bonifacio was born on June 7, 1937 in the town of Juanchorrey in Zacatecas, Mexico to Concepcion and Teodoro. In 1960, he married his loving wife, Florentina Bonilla. They raised four sons, Roberto, Rodrigo, Theodore, and Gabriel; and two daughters, Consuelo and Yolanda, in Soledad, Calif.
Bonifacio took great pride in raising his children while forging a career in agriculture and gaining the respect of those he worked with. As an avid horseman/charro, Bonifacio loved his horses dearly and no doubt they loved him in return. His ingenuity in woodworking was recognized by anyone who visited his home and Bonifacio's charismatic story telling drew everyone in like school children. His morning songs that he would serenade his wife with were tokens of love wrapped in humor and tenderness. Bonifacio was honest, loyal, and incredibly strong.
Bonifacio was preceded in death by his father, Teodoro Rivera; mother, Concepcion Rivera; brothers, Jesus Rivera, Rafael Nava Gonzales, and Cruz Nava Gonzales; sisters, Maria Correa Rivera, and Esperanza Correa Rivera; and granddaughter, Kelsey Knox.
He is survived by his wife, Florentina Rivera; his six children, Consuelo and (Marvin) Knox, Roberto and (Maricela) Rivera, Rodrigo and (Leticia) Rivera, Theodore and (Patricia) Rivera, Yolanda Rivera, and Gabriel Rivera; brothers, Manuel Rivera, Jose Nava Gonzales, and Isauro Nava Gonzales; sisters, Juanita Rivera Alamo, Bernardina Rivera, and Ofelia Nava Gonzales Carnero; eight grandsons; five granddaughters; two great-grandsons; one great-granddaughter; and many cousins, nephews and nieces.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 at the Woodyard Funeral Home on 395 East Street in Soledad at 11 a.m. with a viewing at 9 a.m. Flowers can be sent to the Woodyard Funeral Home.
Published in Salinas Valley Tribune · February 7, 2022