November 2, 1931 – January 3, 2024
Angeline Guadalupe Gonzalez King passed in her sleep on January 3, 2024, with Julie K. Bowles and William P. King by her side at the Canyonlands Care Center. She was shown loving care and concern for her comfort by the care center team under the direction of Collete Lyman & Jill Fryer.
Angeline was born to Jose Prudencio and Carolina Velarde Gonzalez, along with siblings Pauline Gonzalez (recently passed just after turning 100 years old), Nash, Lusion, Clyde, Julie, Bill, Johnson and surviving sisters Lenore G. Millie & Patricia Jurassich, both of Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the firm, loving mother of David A. King, DuVal J. P. King, Carole G. King (deceased), Julie K. Bowles, Rico M. King (deceased), Johnson King, William P. King, Lorenzo I. King; grandmother to Alejandro, Orlando, Elisha, Sant, Jadon, Jacey, Allison, Karson, Patrick (deceased) Emily and Nathan; great-grandmother to Bianca, Nakai, Sienna, Zephorah, Jasiah, Deja Roo, Mckinnley and Beaux.
Angeline loved and cared for many and was loved and cherished in the community. A true Matriarch!
Angeline grew up in Monticello, Utah, and was proud of it! “I am Angeline G. King! My father is J. P. Gonzalez. I was born and raised in Monticello, Utah” was her pronouncement! She led a rich rural Southern Utah life as the daughter of a farmer with a ranch 5 miles south of town and on a block of downtown Monticello. They walked and rode in a wagon back and forth. During the summers the family would work the fields, tend to the orchard, and play in the swimming hole fed by the stream from the Blue Mountains wherein she could gaze upon her favorite image of the Horse Head. In winter, they would harvest the wheat, beans and fruits, gather wood, can and preserve food.
Angeline graduated in 1949 from Monticello High School. She worked diligently all her life and was fortunate in her career to garner a position at the San Juan County Recorder’s Office, where her cursive penmanship was respected! She later moved to the Monticello Visitors Center, where she bragged with delight: “I get paid to tell people where to go!”
Anybody that came for a cup or three of Folgers coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner (and there were a lot of them) also was subject to her encouragement, a chastisement or two when required, and being chewed out when necessary. You always knew where you stood with her!
Motivated by love and a desire to see others succeed, she wielded a gentle but firm hand, whether it was her calling the cops to have them tell her kids to come home if they were late, driving up town in her nightgown and curlers to take them home, or scolding her father for minor shenanigans he was involved with when he was living with her while in his 100s.
Nobody was immune!
There was an element of unconditional love that permeated her 2-bedroom home where she raised eight children and some others she took in. She loved talking on the phone to her sisters, brothers, and friends. She made sure we ate well even if it was some combination of rice, beans, hamburger, potatoes and her famous tortillas. She struggled and worked diligently to make sure us kids had food, clothing and a roof over our heads.
She raised her last four children on her own after she divorced her husband of 24 years. She witnessed the passing of her daughter Carole, who took her to see her favorite musician, Tom Jones in Las Vegas, with front and center seats for her birthday as well as other events Carole took her on. Rico passed from medical complications. She never remarried.
She had an opportunity to move to Boston and create a new life for herself and her three youngest boys but chose to stay and take care of her father. He lived with her until 1991 when he gave her a big hug one night and said: “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you next time.” He passed peacefully in his sleep at the age of 106 in her home.
She lovingly and religiously attended the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church that her father helped build in Monticello, and volunteered with many of the women members to create feasts for events (mostly of Mexican cuisine!). Couldn’t ask for better Mexican food within a 300-mile radius.
Her sense of humor was always present along with a side of sarcasm. She didn’t mince words. Her love, affection, care, and nurturing nature influenced many lives, and she treated her nephews, nieces, grandchildren and friends’ children like her own and admonished them when necessary!
She cried for days when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. She stated that the government was corrupt and never voted again. She loved cooking, canning fruit, picking pine nuts, and taking care of children. She would bring us to Moab with our grandfather and grandmother to pick peaches the size of grapefruit to take them home and can for days!
Her love, influence, wisdom and common sense have touched the lives of so many people. Her spirit will live on through all of us who had the privilege of being a part of her life.
A Rosary will be held on Friday, January 26 at 6 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Monticello, Utah. Dinner and sharing to follow at same location. Zoom broadcast may be available: contact duvalsking@gmail.com for details.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 27 at 10 a.m. with interment to follow at the Monticello City Cemetery.
