Samuel A. Gonzalez

Samuel A. Gonzalez

November 15, 1986-January 3, 2024

Age 37

Sam was born in Omaha, NE, on November 15, 1986. He attended Kindergarten at Gunn Elementary, in Council Bluffs, IA, before moving to Bellevue, NE where he attended Wake Robin, Logan Fontenelle and graduated in 2005 from Bellevue East. During his high school years, he was a well-rounded athlete, lettering in track, wrestling and football.

After high school, Sam proudly joined the United States Marine Corp. Sam graduated from basic training in 2006. During his service, he was stationed on a transport ship that toured Hawaii, Australia, and Southeast Asia. He later deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After his service with the Marine Corp, he joined a team that worked on Trophy Trucks and was a member of a race crew that competed in the Baja 1000. While living in California, Sam had many hobbies including dirt biking, paddle boarding and surfing. After returning to Nebraska, Sam also spent a summer backpacking through Europe.

Sam was a terrific storyteller and loved sharing tales of his daily adventures. He was a family man who loved his family, expressing his love through hugs. He also took pride in being an uncle to his nieces and nephew. He enjoyed watching football games and going to wing nights with his brothers and watching various tv shows with his parents.

Sam always had the desire to help others, even though he did not always know how. He was known on multiple occasions to be the person to stop and help someone stranded on the side of the road. He once helped a lady change out her flat tire; when offered compensation he graciously declined. He remembered a time when a gentleman did the same thing for his mom when he was a young boy. He distinctly remembered the gentleman saying, “Just do something good for someone else one day.” Sam did just this, multiple times over the course of his life. Even at the end of his life, although afraid of the next steps he had to take, he was ready to make the commitment so he could be there for his family and friends.

It is with that strength; he gave the gift of life to others. As his life came to an end, a new set of lives began. With his gift of organ donation, he was able to help other families’ prayers be answered and allowed for new memories to be made. It is our hope that his last act of courage can provide healing for those that loved him. Sam’s memory will live on forever.

He was preceded in death by paternal grandparents Baudelio and Maria Gonzalez and maternal grandparents Raymond and Marie Skorka.

Sam is survived by his parents David and Francine Gonzalez, brothers Marty Gonzalez (Audrey) and Chris Gonzalez (Theresa), nieces (Emyra, Abigayle, Katelyn, Madelyn) and nephew (Rowan); additional loved ones, Kristyn Orsi and Bailey Orsi; and many other loving relatives.

“The love you gave and the life you lived, will forever be remembered.” – Unknown

Visitation: Saturday, January 13, 2024, 10:00-11:00 a.m. followed by

Funeral Service: at 11 a.m., Bellevue Memorial Funeral Chapel.

Interment: Monday, January 15, 2024, 10 a.m., Omaha National Cemetery.

Military Honors: USMC and American Legion Post 331.

To view a live broadcast of the service, click the link below.

https://boxcast.tv/view/samuel-gonzalez-service-onhnikf8o1mkjsz6y4hv

Memorials will be directed by the family.