The Kings community paid their respects to a beloved teacher of 32 years on Tuesday. Jorge Gonzalez, died last week after a strong battle with COVID-19. The 56-year-old was a Spanish teacher at Kings High School but he wore many hats in the district including an entertainer.
“He would sometimes come out and play the guitar with another student in between class changes. He taught several Spanish lessons with his guitar,” said Dawn Gould, spokesperson for the district. “He always had a smile on his face. He was so positive. It’s a huge loss for Kings, and we are devastated.”
Will Kocher had Gonzalez as a teacher
“He was a special guy. Every day he had high energy, just super happy to be at school, super happy to do everything he’s doing, and he really was a special teacher to have,” Kocher said. Gonzalez was also an advocate.
“He just wanted to help kids, and he wanted to help kids without a voice,” Gould said.
As the diversity-inclusion coordinator, Gonzalez led the way in making kids feel special when they came to school.
Gonzalez died last week after being hospitalized with COVID-19. He was fully vaccinated. “This is really a big loss for Kings,” Kocher said. The district canceled classes at the high school on Tuesday so students and staff could attend his funeral.
As people said their goodbyes, promises were made to continue Gonzalez’s work in making sure every student feels accepted. Gonzalez was also the driving force behind Kings hosting blood drives. Under his leadership, more than 1,200 units of blood were collected. That has the potential to save 3,786 lives.
Gonzalez leaves behind a wife who teaches in the district and a daughter who is a student at Kings High School.
Gould said one of the things that Gonzalez really wanted was to be able to create a scholarship for Kings’ students. Anyone wishing to make a donation towards the Jorge Gonzalez Memorial Scholarship Fund can do so at any Fifth Third Bank location. Friends have also set up a GoFundMe page for his family.