Mathew Andrew Gonzalez

Mathew Andrew Gonzalez (also known as Mathias Andrew) passed away peacefully at Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia in the loving presence of his family on Sunday, August 27th, 2017, at 3:40 p.m., after an epic two year battle with esophageal cancer. He is now with his beloved dog Bonnie and cat Sammie; his paternal grandmother Margarita Palomino Martinez de Gonzalez who taught him to love poker and 21 and who helped start the Department of Social Work in Lima, Peru; his paternal grandfather Manuel Mariano Gonzalez Barandiaran who passed before Mathew was born and who was an author and gentleman in Peru; his maternal grandmother Elleanor Odessa Jackson McCausland who was an elementary school teacher and a teacher of life; his maternal grandfather Sidney Frank McCausland who worked for a nationwide company in frozen foods and cold storage and who loved music and had a professional singing voice; his father Manuel Fernando Gonzalez who was a reporter and political activist in Peru, created multiple programs in support of alternative education in California and, in his later years, became a Methodist lay pastor for a Hispanic congregation in Oakland. Mathew got his passion for life's mysteries and his determination to fight his battle with cancer from his dad, who managed to stay active while being on dialysis for 16 years. Those who will miss him dearly include his beloved dog Bunnie, step-dog Rosie, cat Solo, his life partner Sharon Hermone and her daughter Linneah Hermone; his mother Victoria Leigh McCausland Gonzalez; his sister Cecilia Inez Gonzalez Bustamante; his brother Mariano Fernando Gonzalez Bustamante, Mariano's wife Joan Shepherd and sons Adan Samuel and Taylor Gabriel; his brother Manuel Cid Gonzalez McCausland (Manny), Manny's wife Genoa Chase and daughters Viviana Eleanor and Cassara Victoria; his uncle Sidney Charles McCausland, Sid's wife Suzanne, his son Daniel Fielden and daughter Heather Lorraine; and his many lifelong friends. Matt attended Second Community Elementary School, Hoover Middle School and McAteer High School, all in San Francisco. As a child Mathew knew no fear. When his mom tried to warn him about running out on a pier at the ocean because he might fall in, Matt had a dream that he did fall in, and dolphins came and swam with him. He loved treating his big brother Mariano as a climbing structure, and in later years Mariano's sons did the same to him. Thanksgiving or Christmas at Mariano and Joan's were always very special. Matt loved spending time with his grandparents every Summer, where he first learned to swim and fish. Encouraged by his grandparents, he had one of his first successful business experiences when he and his brother Manny sold their $2 kites at the beach to a tourist who wanted to buy them for $25. His first job was delivering newspapers on Mount Davidson in San Francisco. Carrying the Sunday paper over those hills was a killer, but he stuck to it for a while. He worked at Julie's Supper Club in South of Market in San Francisco, cleaning up after hours and learning the tricks of the trade of a popular restaurant and bar. He traveled across the country with a friend for almost a year selling old photos of each town to businesses along the way, winding up in New York for six months before returning home. He went to Germany with a girlfriend for a month, spending time with her family and seeing the sites. He worked for Wolfe Construction and Bay Metro Corporation as an electrician for almost fifteen years, working mostly on home repairs and improvements, but also installing industrial conveyor belts and freezers, chandeliers and an outdoor church sound system. He loved urban gardening and landscaping, including growing his own medicinal pot last year, and, while in Santa Rosa, he sound-proofed the garage for Sharon's dad (a professional musician) and installed a fish pond in the yard complete with lighting and a waterfall. He loved having fruit trees, herbs, avocados and tomatoes. Matt was a creative cook, combining traditional recipes with his own inspiration. He loved to plan out meals for the week and cook for Sharon and Linneah, even when he couldn't keep food down because of the chemo. As a child he made meat loaf with his feet and pie crust with an egg beater, all of which actually came out fine. He knew no fear in the kitchen, but he could be pretty rough on his sous chef. He loved music, nature and solving life's riddles. He was a master of the Rubic's cube; loved sacred geometry, learned guitar, bass and drums on his own; taught guitar lessons to a rising young child actor, and loved camping with Sharon and the dogs. In Visalia he joined Pure Play Poker Club to play poker online, and was the administrator of the group until his illness. He enjoyed winning every once in a while, but his real win was the friends he made online who continued to send him love, support and gifts to see him and Sharon through his illness. Matt was always aware of his surroundings. He noticed things. He saw an elderly woman with three dogs in a parking lot near his pharmacy and recognized that she looked distressed. He helped her get her car towed and drove her and the three dogs home. He saw baby ducklings wandering on a train track, stopped, took the time to catch them and returned them safely to their pond. He could have a short temper, but he also had a compassionate heart. Being on chemo for the last two years, Mathew was limited in what he could do, but he made it to Austin, Texas to visit his sister Cecilia; he bought a motor home (named Annie) and enjoyed short camping and day trips with Sharon and the dogs to Three Rivers and Lake Kaweah at the foothills of the Sequoia (roasting marshmellows over a campfire was the best); he enjoyed a special trip with his mom, brother Manny and Sharon driving through Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite and made it to Disneyland with Manny and his family, managing to walk the whole park for the day. He thrived on friends from his youth in San Francisco coming for a visit ("Fuck Cancer!"), and he added drums to his guitars and bass at home so he could continue to learn. He and Sharon enjoyed movies together, loved playing video golf and watching Big Brother, Game of Thrones and Above Top Secret (ATS). He was looking forward to Halloween and had already bought a tiger mask for himself and a kitty mask for Sharon. He fought valiantly to live as long as he could, but, when his body could no longer sustain him, he died gracefully and gently in the arms of his family and all those who were praying for him and sending him loving energy. Forever in our Hearts. Rest in Peace Brother. If you wish to do something in memory of Matt please do an Act of Kindness for someone or make a donation to the charity of your choice. Memorial Tributes and Condolences can be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.

Mathew Andrew Gonzalez

February 6, 1972 - August 27, 2017