Reprint from the Progress Times - May 16, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved
Spc. Alex Gonzalez' body arrives in Mission
In a scene that was repeated all too soon for Mission residents, the body of U.S. Army Specialist Alex Gonzalez arrived at Virgil Wilson Funeral Home Tuesday, May 13.
Gonzalez was killed serving his first tour of duty in Iraq on May 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his vehicle. He is the second Mission soldier to be killed in action in Iraq in the last month.
The procession, which included vans carrying the 21-year-old soldier’s family, slowly made its way from McAllen-Miller International Airport to Virgil Wilson Funeral Home after passing Marcell Elementary School, K. White Junior High and Mission High School where Gonzalez graduated in 2005. Residents carrying flags once again lined Conway to pay their respects to the soldier.
"It’s just sad all around," said Eliseo Ramirez, who stood just down the street on Conway from the funeral home quietly waiting for the hearse to pass. "You know that war comes with sacrifice but, I don’t know, it seems like every sacrifice is too great."
A funeral mass for the fallen soldier has been scheduled at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 620 N. Dunlap Avenue in Mission, at noon on Saturday, May 17.
Gonzalez, born on January 27, 1987 in McAllen, lived most of his life here.
Survivors include his parents Alfredo and Idalia Gonzalez; biological parents, Brenda Ojeda and Urbano Gonzalez Jr.; sisters, Casey Mejia, Emily Gonzalez, Audrey Gonzalez, Arleen Gonzalez, and April Gonzalez; paternal grandparents, Urbano Gonzalez Sr. and Emma Maria Santana; and maternal grandparents, Antonio and Ramona Rodriguez.
Visitation for friends and family will be held today from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. rosary at the Virgil Wilson Mortuary Memorial Chapel, 2200 N. Conway Ave. At 9 p.m., his remains will be taken to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church for an all night vigil until the funeral mass the next morning. Rev. Roy Snipes will officiate over the mass.
The interment procession will travel to Rio Grande Valley Veterans State Cemetery where he will be laid to rest with military honors.
MCISD honors Spc. Alex Gonzalez
Students and staff from five Mission CISD (Consolidated Independent School District) schools and the staff of three district departments paused this morning to pay their respects to Army Specialist Alex Gonzalez as the procession carrying his body was driven through Mission to the funeral home. Gonzalez was killed by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq on May 6. Gonzalez is a 2005 Mission High School graduate who also attended K. White Jr. High School.
District students and staff lined the streets, in front of their buildings as the procession carrying Gonzalez’s body drove by. The procession passed by K. White Jr. High, O’Grady Elementary, Mission High School, Marcell Elementary School, Pearson Elementary School, the Central Kitchen, Transportation Department and Maintenance Department.