Bruce Alan Gonzo

Service Details

Visitation with the family will occur in the Draeger Langendorf Funeral Home, 4600 County Line Road, Mt Pleasant Wi 53403, on Thursday, December 15th from 4:00 P.M. until the Time of Sharing at 6:00 P.M.
Family and Friends will meet at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery 21731 Spring St, Union Grove, WI 53182 on Friday, December 16th for the burial ceremony with Military Honors at 1 PM sharp!

The family would like you to join them for a luncheon and time of sharing after the service at The TinCan Roadhouse- 20715 Durand Ave, Union Grove, WI 53182.

Memorial Suggestions

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations towards Amerie’s college fund.

Bruce Alan Gonzo, 66, passed away unexpectedly on a vacation in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. They were ready for their first dive of the trip. Bruce smiled as he winked at Jo Ellen upon entering the ocean together as they had over 300 times before. The following few minutes brought on the realization that he was gone from our lives forever. Per Bruce’s wishes, he was cremated in Mexico.
Bruce Gonzo was born to Vern Gonzo and Dorothy {DeVries} on October 20, 1956, in Bellflower, California. He was the second son of what would turn into a family of 5 children.

They lived for a while in Manitowoc, and Bruce formed a close relationship with his grandfather, Odo. He helped inspire Bruce with his curiosity of how things work and taught him how to troubleshoot and fix appliances. It cultivated a talent that served him well and allowed him to provide a good life for his family.

Soon thereafter, the Gonzo family moved to Chilton. Brue loved the small-town life, always keeping himself busy. His first job at age 12 was maintaining the school pool and locker room. At 14 he took a job driving combine for the Jolly Green Giant. He loved sports, but swimming and diving were his passions. The other sports simply kept you in shape for swimming, he would say. He was active in boy scouts, enjoyed camping, jamborees and the boundary water trips. While he had completed all the work for an Eagle Scout, it was never officially recognized. The call of service to his country was just too strong.

June 24, 1974, at age 17, Bruce enlisted in the Navy. He was trained at Great Lakes Naval Base. He trained as a Fire Control Technician. He operated and maintained and repaired computer-controlled radar equipment. He was assigned to the USS La Salle (AGF 3). He had bit of a bumpy ride getting to his ship and ended up being held hostage in the Middle East before the US could negotiate his release.
USS LaSalle saw service in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea, using Bahrain as its home port. It was painted white to reflect the Middle East sun, earning it the nick name “The Great White Ghost” of the Arabian Coast. He enjoyed his time in the Navy and all the countries he visited. He often enjoyed telling stories of his adventures. Upon return to the states, Bruce received an honorable discharge on 8/6/1976.

He trained at Milwaukee Area Technical College, earning an associate degree in Biomedical Electronics. He then became what Jo Ellen lovingly called “a professional student.” He would take advantage of any additional training that was offered and quickly worked up the corporate ladder. He worked at Aurora Healthcare from 1989-2012, at which point the company decided to close its maintenance division and contract with GE Healthcare. GE was very happy to hire Bruce, and he worked there until work related injuries prevented him from doing his job. Bruce loved his job and would often say, “Where else do you get to be the guy on the white horse who rides in to save the day?”

In 2002 Bruce decided to try the online dating program, Match.com. On July 30th he received a reply from Jo Ellen Rommel. They chatted for hours that night before Bruce asked her out. Their first date was that very same night at the Docks, and they were together every day from that day on. They were engaged on Sept 9, 2002, but would wait a few years to get married.

In February their life would change. Jo Ellen headed off to Texas to check on the welfare of her two grandchildren. Jo Ellen called Bruce, a man who never had children, and asked him,” If I bring 2 children home, will you still be there?” In the following days, Chris, then 17, and Bruce painted and set up the spare bedroom. In addition, they bought 2 huge Valentine teddy bears to greet the children. They were now parents to Kayla, age 11, and Javon, age 5. Bruce was in for a new lifestyle after having been a bachelor for so many years. Bruce adjusted in time and found out he enjoyed being a parent.

August 14, 2004, Bruce and Jo Ellen were married surrounded by family and friends in a beach theme wedding in Petrifying Springs. In 2006, they brought Amerie home; she was three days old. After looking at the smile on Bruce’s face, even a blind man could see that she had him wrapped around her finger. Bruce was actively involved in his kids’ lives and focused on scouts, karate, cooking, soccer, camping and fishing. Above all he taught them how to enjoy life. When Amerie was 4 years 9 months old, Bruce and Jo Ellen were blessed with the opportunity to adopt Amerie. Bruce wants to take this time to thank Shawn for sharing her family with him. This act allowed him to realize the many joys of fatherhood.

Bruce and Jo Ellen had a passion for travel and the ocean, spending most of their free time exploring the world’s deep seas and wildlife. They became certified scuba divers on their honeymoon and, as soon as the grandkids were of age, those kids became certified as well. They chose to take full advantage of every moment and adventure when those opportunities presented themselves.

Bruce and Jo Ellen loved each other dearly, a fact that was obvious to all those who knew them. His deep devotion to his wife and total commitment to their relationship were a source of strength to the entire family. They made many wonderful memories over their 20 years together.

Bruce was preceded in death by his grandfather, Odo Gonzo and wife Paula; his mother, Dorothy (DeVries) Gonzo; his grandson, Diontae Rommel; his brother-in-law, Tom (TIGER) Becker, and sister-in-law, Sandee Becker.

Bruce leaves behind his loving wife, Jo Ellen Gonzo; beloved children, Amerie Gonzo, Shawn Rommel, Heather (Dan) Rommel, Chris Rommel; grandchildren, Kayla Rommel, Javon Rommel, Annabelle McArthur, Vincent McArthur, Maura Galligan, Sophia Galligan, and great-grandchildren, Imani, Ari, and Kobi. Bruce also leaves behind his father, Vern Gonzo, and his brothers, Don (Julie) Gonzo, Lynn Gonzo, Mike (Chelle) Gonzo, and his sister, Lori (Joel) Kruse, as well as multiple nieces and nephews.

Visitation with the family will occur in the Draeger Langendorf Funeral Home, 4600 County Line Road, Mt Pleasant Wi 53403, on Thursday, December 15th from 4:00 P.M. until the Time of Sharing at 6:00 P.M.
Family and Friends will meet at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery 21731 Spring St, Union Grove, WI 53182 on Friday, December 16th for the burial ceremony with Military Honors at 1 PM sharp!

The family would like you to join them for a luncheon and time of sharing after the service at The TinCan Roadhouse- 20715 Durand Ave, Union Grove, WI 53182.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations towards Amerie’s college fund.