Joe graduated in 1998 from the Apostolic Christian Academy, where he was actively involved with the football and basketball teams. He was a proud member of the Apostolic Christian Academy Lions teams. He worked as a cashier at Arbys and most recently was a mechanic with the Big O Tires store in Bellflower, California. He was the neighborhood gardener, helping all the neighbors in his Downey, CA neighborhood with their lawns and gardens.

Little Joe is survived by his loving parents, Joe and Armida, his brothers Javier and Julian, his grandparents Joseph and Ramona Gonzales and Estella Pinon, several aunts, uncles and cousins and many friends and neighbors who will share in the celebration of his life and the saddness of his untimely passing.

A celebration of Little Joe's life will be held at the Apostolic Family Life Center, 7435 Norwalk Blvd. in Whittier, CA on Monday, October 29, 2001 at 10:00 AM. Interment will be at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier following the funeral service.

THANK YOU JOE, FOR I WILL ALWAYS
REMEMBER YOU IN CHILDRENS CHURCH AND FOR HELPING ME WHEN I NEEDED SOMEONE, THANK GOD
FOR ME JOE! SEE YOU SOON HOPEFULLY!
David Munoz
E-Mail: BIGDA1024@AOL.COM

"JoJo Buns" Looking back on the days we grew up together in church and in school. I will always remember those times we shared advice for any problem we were having. Everytime I was down you came to the house knowing something was wrong and you made me smile, and laugh even if I thought what you said was dumb! You always told me "White girl keep your head up". I will miss your presence. You will always be remembered and loved by all those you loved and cared for deeply.
Jennifer Docks
E-Mail: Misslann21@aol.com

TO MY DEAR COUSIN JOE
I KNOW YOU CAN SEE MY HEART CRY FOR YOU & SEE HOW MUCH I MISS YOU. I WISH WE HAD GROWN OLD AND GRUMPY TOGETHER BEFORE THE LORD CAME TO TAKE YOU HOME, BUT I KNOW THAT NOW YOU ARE AT PEACE. A PEACE THAT NONE OF US COULD HAVE EVER GIVEN YOU. BUT ONE DAY I'LL BE THERE TO MEET YOU. TILL THEN I KNOW YOUR PRESENCE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE WHEN I NEED YOU. I LOVE YOU, MY DEAR LITTLE JOE.
Alicia Contreras
E-Mail: acskincare@aol.com

Joe, you will always be in my heart.
This poem comforted me when you went to be with the Lord. It was written to me by a close friend. I'll miss you, primo.

Love your Primo, Tony

I know you're hurting.
I know you're in despair.
Know that as a friend,
I'm always gonna care.

I know you're feeling
a rush of anger within,
wishing your heart
was made of tin.

Unbearable tears,
a blank conclusion.
His life was so painful.
His death an infusion.

This world is full
of evil and deception.
You ask, "Why God,
didn't you make this one exception?"

Family is so devine,
why couldn't he stay?
A cousin, a friend,
was it really his day?

Memories of him,
in which you will keep.
Hold them real close.
It's okay to weep.

Please don't blame God,
for taking him away.
He only did it,
Cause he'd suffer if he stayed.

Tony De Jesus
E-Mail: ad91@mail.csuchico.edu

You are not gone from our lives forever, only
your physical presence is. Your soul and memories
of you will live with your loved ones forever.
You are now an angel of God chosen to watch over
those who loved and cared for you so very much.
We cannot question why God chose to take you
so soon, we can only accept it.
Rest in peace Little Joe.

Julio and Stella De Jesus
E-Mail: elitepersonnel@mindspring.com

JOE I WILL ALWAYS KEEP YOU CLOSE IN MIND AND YOU WILL HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. YOU LEFT LOVED ONES BEHIND THAT I KNOW YOU REALLY CARED AND LOVED DEARLY. I'M SURE THE WILL KEEP THE MEMORIES CLOSE AND THEY WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THEM! I WANT TO SAY TO THE FAMILY YOU ARE NOT ALONE. WHEN TROUBLE COMES, WE OFTEN SAY, " WHY DID THIS HAVE TO BE? BUT BLESSINGS COME IN MANY WAYS THAT SOMETIMES WE CAN'T SEE. EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS PART OF GOD'S ETERNAL PLAN. TODAY WHAT SEEMS A MYSTERY IN TIME WE'LL UNDERSTAND. REMEMBER THE PRAYERS ARE WITH ALL OF YOU TO GIVE YOU STRENGTH TODAY, AND EVERYDAY. CALL ON THOSE OF US WHO LOVE YOU TO SHARE WITH YOU ALONG THE WAY. KEEP LIL JOE CLOSE TO YOUR HEART AND REMEBER HE'S UP ABOVE LOOKING OVER ALL OF US.
E-Mail: DC1967@AOL.COM

Gonzales Family,
I know this is one of the hardest trails you will have to go thru, but the best words of condolences I could give is that only God knows what his plans are. God gives to us and he also takes. Keep all the good memories you had with him while God had you take care of him. Always remeber that he did have an personal experience with God and God has the last words. We will carry you in our prayers, so God will give you strenght to carry on. God Bless you.
Nick & Rosie Toral
E-Mail: Usherneco@aol.com

Joe, the love you had for others cannot be measuered nor can it be weighed.
No words can express the loss we feel inside no touch can ease the pain or wipe the tears we cry. You were always there with helping hands,a gentle smile and your complaints were far and few.
I know you are with us watching down from above, you will help us take each step, you'll hold us up with your love.
and the empty feeling that we have within with time will slowly subside for when live has to end, we have to begin to heal the wounds we feel inside.
And it's inside we see your smile through the mirror of our eyes and it's your laughter we hear on the wind blowing by.
It's your voice we hear saying, "be strong I'll get you through", It's your touch we feel when crying the tears we have for you.
And it's the memories we have we'll treasure everyday, like old photographs in a book we'll never put away......

Joe and Armida,
GOD WILL CARRY YOU
The Lord will never leave us nor forsake us.
He promised He'd be with us through it all.
It often seems He's walking right beside us as he guides us through our problems.
Large and small. But there are times we just can't feel his presence, When the road's so rough, we need him all the more....
We wonder why we're so alone and helpless why his hand's not there to lead us as before.... But if we listen quietly, he'll tell us, "Take a moment and remember what I said; If you fail to see me walking right beside you, It's because I have you in my arms instead.... For together, we will cross the highest mountain, Together we will face the stormy sea, You never are alone, you're never helpless! I'll carry you..... let go and lean on me."
THE LORD IS GOOD, A STRONG HOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE; AND HE KNOWETH THEM THT TRUST IN HIM.
(NAHUM 1:7)

Henry, Martha, Cynthia, and Delilah Martinez
E-Mail: Itihgm@aol.com

Joe,
now that you are gone I look back at all the fun times we had together and I will never forget all the times we shared!!!
I was really fortunate that I had a cousin like you when I was sad you made me laugh and Im gonna miss you but whenever I need you I will look up in the sky and know that you are looking down on me from heaven!!!
I will miss you lots!!!
LOVE YOU JOE!!!
love
TIFFANY CRUZE
E-Mail: tiff_intensity@yahoo.com

I really don't have the words to express of how this is affecting me and my family. I remember Joe as "Joe Buns" . I remember the great times we had in school,church events and the opportunities we had to hang out. I can't believe your gone! I miss you even more so! I know it's been awhile since we last saw each other. I remember the huge smile you had on your face and I remember how happy I was to see you. We both encourged eachother to hang in there, and gave eachother a big hug goodbye. You will be greatly missed. Iam sure everyone will remember you by your awesome personality,your freindship,your honesty and mostly, your presence. As, my heart beats profusly, Iam soo sad your gone. I guess only God knows why you had to leave us so soon. Iam honored to have known a great person like you, I know my brother Daniel thinks so as well. On behalf of Cathy,Daniel and the rest of my family, you will be missed. WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU MUCH !!! SEE YOU SOON JOE BUNS. XOXOXOXOX

Your friend always,

Janet

Class of 95
E-Mail: janet.garcia@adeccona.com

When we look back into our lives
it's all just a memory painted in our minds.
When we look forward for tomorrow
it's just a dream ready to come true.
as we write on these pages,
it's to remember a part of our past and to add the present, in a special place
in our hearts and minds, that will linger a life time.
As we pour our hearts, of events that are filled with special fond memories of my nephew,
LIL JOE
As this week has gone by, my sisters and I
have sat around reminiscing through our library of fond memories of Lil Joe.
My sister Armida fondly recalled the countless times when lil Joe would come home and would pick her up, twirl her around and throw her on the bed or couch.
How at times she would be on the phone and she would have to put people on hold, and would turn to tell lil. Joe OK go ahead pick me up so we can just get it over with it.
We also recalled the time when I saw his size 58 or 60 pants and he told me that they were his, that he would put them on so he could show me how well they fit him.
When I saw him in those big, big, pair of pants I ran to the room got Julian out of bed and put him inside the pants with lil Joe
and he still had room for one more person.
My final fond memory was a visit to Joe and Armida's house, when I gave my nephews a performance of a life time; When I skated on their kitchen floor with my socks and my pajamas. Since they have that nice marble floor you're able to slide around nicely, and perfect your skating skills if you are a skater, or develop some if you don't know how to skate.
I could still hear the sounds of laughter in my head from lil Joe.
How he would laugh and tell me that I was so crazy, and I would remind him that I was related to his mother, and after that I did not have to say any more.
I have shared these memories, and painted this tapestry portrait in our minds of
LIL JOE
to remind us that God is so good and full of mercy and love.
When a tapestry worker is creating her art, she works so hard on making that picture perfect. She sews, then knots the thread in the back over and over again. As she continues to create, she winds up with this mess of cut threads and knots, skipped stitches, loose and re-knotted broken threads.
But when she is done and she turns the picture over, she has created a beautiful work of art.
That's the way God is with us. As we journey through life, making wrong choices, stumbling on our own feet, and saying the wrong things.
God is behind us knotting the pieces of threads together, finishing the loose ends that we left behind due to our poor judgements, and mending the snags in our lives. And when He is all done, he turns the picture over and He no longer sees the mess and confusion in the back of that canvas.
With kind and gentle eyes he sees a beautiful portrait that required some mending, and love has now been completed by his mercy and grace.
As I sit back and close my eyes I can see that portrait, and it's of you, my beloved lil Joe. You will always be in my heart and someday, along with grandpa you will be by my side.
With all my love.
Tia Nena.
E-Mail: toralx4@msn.com

JOE I WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH. ILL MISS ALL THE TIMES YOU DROVE ME, JAVI, AND ABE HOME FROM SCHOOL. I REMEBER THE TIME WHEN YOU PICKED UP ME AND JAVI EARLY FROM SCHOOL. ILL REMEBER ALL THE LAUGHS WE HAD. I WILL MISS YOU DEARLY BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU
I WILL ALWAYS LOOK UP AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE.
LOVE YOU ALWAYS,
ABIGAIL DE LA ROSA
E-Mail: supergirl817@hotmail.com

Joe it was a privledge to know you and be your buddy through my years on J.R. High and High School...We had alot of goood times together i remember on time when we first started hanging out...it was at a skating party in downy i beleive...when we hid somebodys shoes somewhere and they couldnt find them and they had to walk out bear footed that was funny nobody ever knew that but i guess the words out now.......Thanks for the many good memories we spent together...your a friend i will never forget we known eachother in our good times and the bad...Forever a friend Abraham Lechuga
E-Mail: mxr888@aol.com

well homie i finally found this website.my lady told me you came to her in her dream and you said that your glad i did the right thing. it has been bothering me since the day you passed.i know your out there looking over me and my family and i appreciate it.remember when we were kicking it and we saw that fine girl jessica and i told you thats gonna be my babys momma,well now she is homie i got my wish thank you big homie.i got your named tatted on my arm so we both ball until we meet again.much love and respect always.............grumpy

john wagner
yodaddyla@yahoo.com

to all the gonzales family,

everyday that goes by i think about how much joe impacted all of our lives. everyday i look at my wife and children and i think back on how my life was so out of control that my only future was death or prison. it took something so dramastic as losing my best friend to wake me up out of the daze, in order to change my whole life and perspective of it. i miss joe alot and i know he is still here with us. i was fortunate to know him for a short time,but you all were blessed with knowing him for a life time. god bless you all for raising him too be the man he was and always will be to me.

john w
yodaddyla@yahoo.com