Julian G. Gonzalez

Julian Gonzalez, 63, went home to be with the Lord on August 3, 2022.

Julian was a loving man - husband to Linda and father to his daughters and son-in-law Monica, Sera and Adam. He also considered his niece and nephew Catarina and AJ and their families as his own following his brother Alfred's passing. He is also survived by close friends Anthony and Danny whom he considered his brothers, father-in-law Arne, sisters Virginia (Tony) and Roseanne and brother Jaime (Silvia), sister-in-law Nancy (Tony), along with numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. Julian also shared his life with cats Mickey, Max, Sam and Elliott. Julian was preceded in death by his parents John and Carmen Gonzalez, mother-in-law Joan, and brothers Robert and Alfred, as well as cats Anastasia and Sandy.

Julian worked hard to get his BA in Sociology from the University of Texas at Dallas while he was still working and was thrilled to be a "UTD Dad." Julian was gifted in so many areas and his career reflected those stages in his life. From being a Customer Service and Operations Manager in retail, Church Youth Director, Music Minister, Shop Owner, and a gifted Musician in many bands throughout time, the common thread in Julian's life was his impact on the people he met.

Julian has countless friends and he made an impression on everyone he encountered, whether they be friend, acquaintance or stranger. He was known equally for his bright smile, his musical gifts, and his willingness to help people. Julian's friends say they are better for knowing him. Julian only saw the good in people, and that trait set him apart from everyone – he saw goodness and he shared goodness. The outpouring of tributes to Julian on Facebook and in messages to his family speak volumes of the life that he lived, the people he touched, and the love that people had for Julian. It is impossible to put into words the sheer impact of his life. Our wish would be that others remember how Julian made them feel and pay that forward in how they treat others, to share that same goodness.

Julian loved making music! He was called the Music Man – same as his favorite musical. Julian was always in multiple bands at the same time and he played all genres of music and played them well. He could play any instrument. He called himself a bass player, but he was equally gifted in guitar, drums, keyboard, harmonica, and could play several brass instruments. He even tinkered with playing the banjo and mandolin. Julian was also a prolific songwriter – writing various genres of songs that were performed by some of the bands he played with. His largest portfolio was his Contemporary Christian music. He was a Music Minister at various metroplex churches and started Contemporary Services at several Lutheran churches in the area during his career. He wrote some of his best songs for a worship quartet he was part of and Julian enjoyed collaborating with fellow musicians. He was always willing to share his knowledge and teach people new licks and new ways of playing. During the pandemic, Julian contributed his talents to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church's weekly worship videos. What set Julian apart in worship – he firmly believed that musicians were there to bring others into worship and to enhance worship and the people who heard him during worship felt the Holy Spirit that Julian called upon.

Julian also loved to travel. He planned so many amazing vacations and trips – by motorcycle and by car! In addition to the motorcycle trips, his signature way to travel was to pick a destination – fly there – and then rent a car so we could spend days not only at the destination but also traveling home through unplanned routes to see as much of the country as we could. He loved traveling throughout the United States because he said there were so many places to go and sites to see, but he also loved that he was able to visit family and friends in Canada, Norway and also vacation in Mexico. His next big adventures were to be a trip to Iceland and an Alaskan cruise that were planned for when the pandemic subsided.

Julian actually loved to work! He had a strong work ethic, would make out his list of what he wanted to accomplish for the day and make that happen! That included his actual work and his work around the house! He loved to get things done and in the last few weeks of his life, he said "I didn't get everything done that I wanted to get to." When asked what he still wanted to do, he said he wanted to work again. Julian loved being at the Pawn Shop – especially in the last few months of his life. Julian had so many customers who loved him and whom he loved. They would come visit to check on him. Julian had "his way" of putting out merchandise, which became the inside joke with the new manager and store owner. He was so grateful that he was able to work there as long as his strength allowed him.

While Julian passed away from cancer, it did not defeat him or define him. He did not want people to know about his diagnosis and shared his diagnosis with only a small group of friends and close family. He did not let his diagnosis get him down, and he said he did not want people to feel sorry for him or for that to be the first thought when they saw him. He wanted to continue to live his life as he always did – with a smile on his face, working hard, seeing only the good in people, and playing his music.

A memorial celebration of Julian's life will be:
Saturday, August 27, 2022
11:00 a.m.
Our Savior Lutheran Church
411 N. Town East Blvd. Mesquite, TX 75150

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to:
• American Cancer Society - https://www.cancer.org
• Feral Friends Community Cat Alliance - https://www.feralfriends.org