Carmen Elena Gonzalez

After a long battle with breast cancer, Carmen Elena Gonzalez has returned

to the loving arms of her father andbrother. Born in 1956, Carmen was raised and educated in Oxnard, CA. A Channel Islands High School alumnus, Carmen continued her education at The University of California Santa Barbara where she earned her Bachelors degree. Years later she earned her Masters from California Lutheran University. Carmen's dedication to education and community are vast. To list a few: PTA Board Member, Rose Avenue School and Rio Real School; Commissioner, Ventura County Commission on Human Concerns and Community Development Committee Member, El Concilio del Condado de Ventura; Board Member, La Colonia Youth Services Project; Consultant, Padres Unidos; Members, Oxnard Union High School District

Student Enrichment Committee; Day of the Teacher Committee Chairperson,

Board Member, State President, Association of Mexican American Educators; Cinco de Mayo Parade Chairperson, Board Member, Porterville Comision Honorifica; Coordinator, Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project; Coordinator, Declamacion Contests; Coordinator, Toys for Tots1999 to 2005; Coordinator, Catholic Daughters of the Americas Luncheon/ Bazaar Raffle; Big Sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program; CTA, Council Delegate; and countless political action committees and volunteered for man political functions. Carmen worked as a Reading Specialist at Olive Street School in Porterville, CA. She truly cared about children and their education goals and achievements. She was a devoted family women who enjoyed spending time with all of her family. Carmen's hobbies include travel, spending time with her family, children and grandchildren, camping, parades, western days, painting,

drawing, collecting art and of course shopping and spending money on those she loved. A Rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 19 at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 1765 N. Newcomb, Porterville, a Mass will immediately follow. The Cursillistas, The Catholic Daughters, AMA and CHMA will be officiating. A Celebration will be held on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and ends when it ends, at the Community Center, 466 East Putnam in Porterville. The theme will be "In Celebration of Eliseo and Carmen", men are welcome to wear charro outfits and guayabera shirts and ladies are welcome to wear rebozos/shawls. Carmen is preceded in death by her father Carlos Chavez, Sr and her brother, Carlos Chavez, Jr., who gave his life in Vietnam. Carmen is survived by her husband of 30 years, Eliseo; her son, Eliseo Jr; her daughter, Naomi; he sisters, Elisa, Margarita and Marisela; her brothers, Marco, Juan, Jose and Benjamin; her grandchildren, Jaime, Andres, Xiomara, Carmen, Emilio and Eliseo; and finally her daughter-in-law, Marisol, who lovingly served as caretaker; and her mother, Paula, who patiently waits until she can once again be reunited with her daughter.