Alicia M. Gonzales' Obituary
Alicia Tomasa Martinez Santos was born on March 7, 1918, to Justo Pastor Martinez and Maria Teresa Santos in Popoyuapa, Department of Rivas, Nicaragua. The second of eleven children, Alicia cherished the memories of her childhood in the home of her maternal grandfather, Blas Santos, in Rivas, and then in San Juan del Sur. Years later in Managua, she met and married José Leonidas de Trinidad and in 1949 moved to San Francisco, California where she raised her daughters, Sylvia and Patricia. Leonidas died in 1967. In 1969 Alicia married Abraham Gonzales who died in 1971. During these years, she worked in the garment industry, in early childhood education, and as a bookkeeper.
Alicia was intelligent, courageous, and generous. A woman of deep faith, she was a long-time parishioner of St. James Church, sent her daughters to Catholic schools, and practiced her faith through service to her community. Family, friends and neighbors could rely on her to advocate for them when they had difficulties. She and Leonidas provided the first home to many family members arriving in the US.
With the birth of her first grandchild and after retiring, Alicia moved to Oakland to be near her daughter. She continued her life-long pursuit of learning and cultivated her joy of sewing, needlework, and painting. Alicia cherished any opportunity to spend time with her grandchildren, Maria-Elena, Dustin, Paul, and Rebecca. She showed her love to her large, extended family by maintaining an extraordinary recollection of names, birthdates, and personal stories, and by serving as the family historian. She became an active member of St. Theresa’s Church, volunteering in various capacities and attending mass (with the help of her son-in-law) into her late 90s,
Alicia was able to stay in her home until she passed away peacefully on December 28, 2024. Alicia is survived by her daughters, Patricia Irene and Sylvia Ines and her son-in-law, Andrew Young, her four grandchildren, Maria-Elena, Dustin, Paul, and Rebecca, three great grandchildren, Robert, Arthur, and Willamina, her sisters Irene Lopez and Consuelo Martinez, and numerous nieces and nephews.
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