Rolando Noel Gonzalez

Rolando Noel Gonzalez entered eternal rest on November 22, 2017, at the age of 70 at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. He was born on September 10, 1947, in Rio Grande City, Texas, the first born of Uvaldo Gonzalez and Beulah Gutierrez Gonzalez. He is preceded in death by both his father and mother and his brothers Uvaldo David (Edna) Gonzalez and Aaron "Ronnie" (Naomi) Gonzalez. He is survived by his sister, Nannette (Ernesto) Garcia and several nieces and nephews including Maricela Gonzalez, Dennis (Mary Ann) Gonzalez, Aaron Gonzalez, Eric (Michelle) Gonzalez, Hiram Gonzalez, Marco (Melissa) Gonzalez, Evanna Gonzalez, Mikael (Carolyn) Garcia, and Arielle Garcia. He is also survived by his grand nephews and nieces Jorge Flores, Zenon Flores, Daniel Gonzalez, Dana Gonzalez, Dennis David Gonzalez, Jr., Ashlyn Rae Gonzalez, Brylee Grace Gonzalez, Marlene Rose Gonzalez, Mallory Gonzalez, and Carolyn Juliette Garcia.
Rolando attended Immaculate Conception Catholic School in the 1950s and graduated from Rio Grande City High School in 1964. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1968 with majors in psychology and zoology and minors in French and chemistry. He began his long teaching career at Roma Junior High School in 1968. He served a short stint in the Navy in 1970 but was given a medical honorable discharge due to a death-threatening illness. He returned to his previous job and began to work on his Master's degree in Guidance and Counseling at Texas A&I University at Kingsville, Texas. From 1974 to 1976, Rolando became a counselor at Roma Junior High School. He transferred to Rio Grande City High School in 1976 where he became the Science Department Head for the next three years. In 1979 Rolando attended Assumption Seminary for the Diocese of Brownsville to become a Catholic priest. He worked with troubled teens while in the seminary. After much prayer, he left the seminary and went back to teaching.
In 1981 - 1982, Rolando served with Fr. Michael Annunciato as the parish assistant at Our Lady of the Angels in La Joya, Texas. During that time, he also drove to Rio Grande Junior High School to teach science. In 1983, he moved to McAllen and taught at PSJA High School in San Juan, Texas. He was transferred to PSJA North High School in 1990. He was the Science Department Head for the rest of his time at PSJA North. He retired in 2002 but continued teaching on the retire-rehire plan until 2004. After this, he taught at the Athenaeum Oratory School in Pharr for one year, the I.D.E.A. College Preparatory High School in Donna for two years, and St. Joseph's Catholic School in Edinburg for four and a half years. Medical problems forced him to retire.
Although Rolando had been a professional photographer throughout much of his life, he enjoyed teaching the most. He loved to see that "aha!" moment when his students learned something new. He was grateful that he had hundreds of great students throughout his career and would have liked to thank them for making teaching a most rewarding profession. He taught Bible studies in several parishes in the Brownsville Diocese from Rio Grande City to Mercedes since the 1980s. In the 1990s, he began teaching adult classes at Holy Spirit parish in McAllen and continued up until his death.
He was proud of his many achievements, some of which included the Rio Grande Valley Science Association's first Science Teacher of the Year (1996-1997), the International Directory of Distinguished Leadership in science and religious education (5th ed. 1993-1994), and many other Who's Who biographical directories for his work in education and religion, including "Who's Who in... " the South and Southwest, America, the World, Religion, America's Teachers, and Hispanic Americans. He was also listed in the Dictionary of International Biography. He wrote and published one book, Unveiling the Two Stories of the Birth of Jesus, the Christ. He was very proud of this achievement, as well.
He treasured the photographs of the many children that came into his life. He was proud to know that photographs of weddings, quinceaneras, proms, and school pictures are hanging in many homes throughout the Rio Grande Valley. For many years, he assisted Hector Trevino, Jr. at his photography studio in Pharr.
Rolando will be truly missed by his family and friends. He passed on his faith and teachings to many and truly believed in a providential hand guiding his life through many twists and turns. In the end, God's hand guided him toward eternal life with Him.
Sanchez Funeral Home will oversee the arrangements. Visitation will take place from 4:00 to 8:00 PM on Sunday with a rosary at 7:00. The funeral mass will be on Monday, November 27th, at 10:00 A.M. with a burial afterward. In lieu of flowers, Rolando requested that donations be made in his name to his favorite charity, St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

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