- Date Of Birth: June 8, 1954
- Date Of Death: April 7, 2014
- State: Montana
George, better known as “Speedy” by friends and family, passed away Monday, April 07, 2014 at his daughter Chrissy’s home in Colorado Springs after a long courageous battle with cancer that he fought so bravely until the very last minute.
Speedy was born in Anaconda to Ygnacio and Esther Gonzales. He graduated from Anaconda High School in 1972. After graduation he attended Butte Vo-Tech where he earned a degree in welding. After graduating from Vo-Tech, he joined the Boilermakers and worked on the road for the next 30 years before retiring in 2009.
In 1977 Speedy married Sherry Hainlin who had two daughters, Leslie and Lisa, who he raised and always considered his own. Speedy and Sherry later divorced in 1994 but remained lifelong friends.
Speedy loved all sports. He played softball and basketball and always looked forward to playing cards and throwing darts with his many good friends at the Midway Bar.
In 2009 Speedy went to Colorado to try new treatments for his cancer. He enjoyed his time there with his daughter Chrissy and granddaughter Pehtyn. He mostly enjoyed spoiling Pehtyn. He loved to tease her and was always joking around with her. They loved their “secret” trips to Starbucks every Thursday and all of their shopping trips.
Speedy traveled back and forth from Colorado for years but made special trips home in 2012 for his grandson Cory Smith’s football games. He also loved to spoil Cory, often jokingly referring to him as the “son he never had.”
Speedy was preceded in death by his parents, Ygnacio and Esther and his niece Stephanie.
He is survived by four siblings, Helen, Betty, Rich and Don and their families; his daughters, Chrissy, Leslie, and Lisa, grandchildren, Pehtyn, Scott, Kaila, Cory, Jacee, Melissa, Cole, and Amanda; great grandchildren, Connor, Kaidon, Kassidy, Lindsay, McKenzy, Dezirae, and Kyson; and the many good friends he had. He will be greatly missed by all.
