Thursday, March 28, 2024

Obituaries

Raymond (Jiggs) Martin Gonzales

Raymond (Jiggs) Martin Gonzales was born to Bernard and Rose Gonzales on December 30, 1927, in Penryn, California. He passed away on February 16, 2023, in Marysville, CA. The family moved to Colusa, CA, in 1936, where Jiggs attended Colusa schools, graduating from Colusa High School in 1948. He was involved in the FFA and played football.

Jiggs was drafted into the US Army in 1950, attending boot camp at Ft. Ord, CA. He was sent to Korea during the Korean War, where he was a lineman with the Signal Corp. He returned to Colusa in 1952, where he began farming with his father. He married Jane Willoh on June 6, 1953. The couple had three children: Diana, Deborah, and Chris.

Jiggs was a lifelong farmer, farming for 60+ years. He also served on the Colusa Rural Fire Department for many years, retiring as a Captain. He was also a member of Sunsweet Growers, Roberts Ditch Company, and the Maxwell American Legion.

In his younger days, Jiggs enjoyed water skiing, where he was a member of the local water ski club. He also enjoyed pheasant hunting, attending 49er games, and spending time with family and friends. He was a fixture at the local coffee shop for years, where he was known for telling jokes and making people laugh. He will be missed by many.

Jiggs was preceded in death by his parents Rose and Bernard, daughter Deborah, wife Jane, brother Barney, sister Barbara Vann, and son-in-law, Sam Mason.

He is survived by children Diana Mason, and Chris (Margie) Gonzales; grandchildren Brandon Martin Gonzales, Sarah (Abel) Cedillo, and Samantha (Randy) Wilkins. He also leaves behind three great-grandchildren; Logan and Jakob Cedillo, and Matthew Wilkins.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 18th at 11:00 a.m. at the Colusa Rural Fire Station on Market Street in Colusa. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Colusa Rural Fire Department or the Maxwell American Legion in Jiggs’ memory. ■

PUBLISHED 03/02/2023 • COLUSA COUNTY PIONEER REVIEW #2023-1949

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