Obituary of Eva Marie Gonzales

Eva Marie Gonzales, 56, of Austin, passed away on January 16, 2018.  The eldest of six daughters, Eva was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She was a loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, coworker, and friend.

After graduating in 1979 from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Eva married her high school sweetheart, Clark Ellison, and moved to Austin, where their children, Miles and Charlotte, were born.

Always active in her community, Eva loved to be with people and she loved to help people.  She was the president of the Winters Building chapter of Toastmasters International and a singer in the Tapestry Singers, the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Black History Choir and the University United Methodist Church choir.  She also volunteered for groups such as Inside Books, Habitat for Humanity’s National Women Build program, and the Texas Democrats, and she participated in the Texas Unruly Mob, Social Cycling Austin, Stand Up Sit Down Book Club, Team FX Austin, and RUN 24 - William Cannon. 

Eva lived life to the fullest.  She loved to read, sing, write, cycle, travel, and spend time with her family.  She was a devoted “YaYa” to her four grandchildren, and a gentle nurturer to her children and sisters.  She was firmly committed to serving others.

A 36-year employee for the State of Texas, Eva first worked as a clerk at the Austin State School, then as a legal assistant at the Comptroller of Public Accounts.  She ended her state employment January 12, 2018, when she retired from the DADS/Texas Health and Human Services (THHS), where she worked as a legal assistant, to pursue her many other passions.  Eva was delightful to work with, always displaying a positive, can-do spirit.

Eva Marie Gonzales is survived by her son, Miles Ellison, his wife, Lori, and grandchildren, Camron and Evie; daughter, Charlotte Ellison, and husband, Larry (Trae) Vaughn III, and their children, Jayden and Brooklyn; her sisters, Ginger (Gonzales) Smith, and husband, Mark, of Sealy, Texas, Tina (Gonzales) Warren, and husband, John, of Houston, Texas, Rebecca Gonzales, of San Antonio, Texas, Susan (Gonzales) Viola and husband Steve of Coronado, California, and Lillie Gonzales, of San Antonio.  Eva is preceded in death by her parents, Virginia Eloise West and Ernest Morales Gonzales.

Memorial Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with a Memorial Service to begin at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday January 28, 2018 at Mission Funeral Home – South Side, 6204 South First Street; Austin, Texas 78745. This will conclude services.

Please visit www.missionmemorials.com to order flowers and offer condolences to the family.