Mrs. Katherine Gonzales (Bakonyi), 89, from the Governor’s House Nursing Home in Simsbury, CT and formerly from Longmeadow, MA died Wednesday, November 10th at Hartford Hospital following a short illness.
Born in Washington DC to parents Gertrude and Andrew Bakonyi, Kathy grew up in the DC
area attending local schools until she left to attend X-Ray Technician training in the Boston
area.
Early in her career, she worked at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and later at St.
John’s Hospital in Lowell. She retired after working at the office of Dr. Osofsky in Springfield
for several years.
Wife to George Gonzales for 39 years, together they raised four daughters. In her spare time
Kathy enjoyed gardening, sewing, quilting, and spending summer days at the beach with her
family. After her retirement, Kathy volunteered as a “recreationist” at The Big E’s Storrowtown
Village Museum, served on the Board of the Emerson Manor Apartments in Longmeadow, and enjoyed playing trivia with friends at the local senior center.
Her survivors include daughters, Karen (Craig) Leitch from Sumner, WA, Lisa (Doug) Cheney
from Waterbury, CT, Robin (Tim) Mulcahy from Longmeadow, MA, and Susan (Steve) Cimini
from Granby, CT, as well as 13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Kathy was
predeceased by her devoted and loving husband George.
She will be remembered at a memorial service at 10:30, Thursday, November 18th at St.
Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 335 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow. Kathy’s ashes will be
buried alongside her husband George at the Longmeadow Cemetery across from 34 Williams Street immediately following the service.
Donations can be made in her name to the Altar Guild at St. Andrew’s Church in lieu of flowers.
Kathy’s daughters would also like to extend our deepest appreciation to all staff that cared for
our Mother at Hartford Hospital. We cannot express enough gratitude for their incredible skill,
thoughtfulness, guidance, and the amazing compassion they showed not only to our mother
but to the family. They are truly top notch staff, and we are forever grateful to all of them.
