Sabas Gonzalez Jr.

Sabas Gonzalez Jr was born on December 05, 1955, in Rural Precinct #3 of Hidalgo County, Texas. After a long battle with heart disease, he passed peacefully at his home in Hollister, CA. on May 23, 2024. He was a beloved father, husband, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend and will be remembered as an honest, hardworking, humble, generous man who was quick to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. He is survived by his wife Lucy Rivera Gonzalez, his children Mark Anthony Delgado, Angela Rose Gonzalez, Sabas “Niko” Cristobal (Alyssa Marie) Gonzalez, and Pablo Jesus Gonzalez; his grandchildren Silver, Elijah, Shyloh, Malia, Pablito, and Sabas “Q” Gonzalez; siblings Arnulfo Gonzalez, Rosa Maria Gonzalez and Jose Armando Gonzalez. He was preceded in death by his parents Sabas Gonzalez Sr. and Guillermina Tijerina Gonzalez.

Sabas graduated from San Benito Joint Union High School in 1973, and went on to attend SJSU before enlisting in the United States Army in 1975. While practicing on the shooting range his Staff Sergeant noticed he was very accurate within 50 yards but was horrible in long range shooting. He ordered Private Gonzalez to go see the optometrist and realized it wasn’t accuracy that he was lacking but eyeglasses; he was given new spectacles and quickly earned a medal as a sharpshooter. He received his paratrooper’s patch and luckily without breaking any bones. He chose his job as a Calvary Scout because he was the type of man that led by example. Sabas was Honorably Discharged as a Sergeant in 1979.

In 1980 he was hired by the FMC Corporation in San Jose, CA as a logistics engineer, he worked on the schematics for the Bradley Tank and often flew across the country training Officers and even Generals on the Bradley’s intricacies; being a part of the Infantry in the United States Army, he was especially proud of his work on the Bradley Tank.

His most important role was that of a husband and father. He coached his daughter’s softball team, went fishing with his boys, and especially enjoyed quality time with his grandkids. His kids were his life, always concerned with their wellbeing, often at the expense of his own. Both of his boys graduated college, Niko earned his Degree in Kinesiology from CSUMB, and Pablo in Business Management from SJSU. He was extremely proud of and devoted to all his children.

Sabas enjoyed golfing, he made some good shots and a lot of bad shots, made some very long puts and missed some very short ones. He was thrilled by the great shots of his siblings as though they were his own, he loved golf, but he loved his brothers even more.

He was an avid fisherman, and knew all the best spots for catching the biggest fish, his favorite was Dinosaur Point where he did his best fishing and enjoyed quality time with his family.

Sabas was an avid reader; he enjoyed reading Herodotus and Josephus: “All of us have mortal bodies, composed of perishable matter, but the soul lives forever; it is a portion of the Deity housed in our bodies.”

He believed the greatest team in the NFL is the San Francisco 49ers, when he talked about the game he would say “WE beat the Raiders”, or “WE kicked the field goal to win the game”, or WE made it to the Super Bowl”, that’s how passionate he was about HIS team. The last game we watched together was the 2024 Super Bowl (San Francisco 49ers Vs Kansas City Chiefs), Sabas could not be disappointed by the outcome of the game because although the 49ers lost that day, he spent one of the most memorable days of his life surrounded by his family.

We will miss Sabas tremendously and only comfort in knowing he is rejoicing in Heaven with his mother and we will see him again someday.

Services will be held at the Grunnagle Funeral Home on June 8th at 9:00 am, Blessing will begin at 11:30 am, and Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery at 1 pm. Followed by a Celebration of Life at Vet's Memorial Building.