Ismael "Miley" Gonzalez

July 30, 1946 - November 29, 2020

On the morning of Sunday, November 29, 2020, Ismael “Miley” Gonzalez lost his courageous battle with cancer and passed away, peacefully, at the age of 74. He was surrounded by family and friends at his home in the San Simon Valley in southeastern Arizona. Miley was born in the small town of Ysleta, Texas on July 30th, 1946 to Julio Urive Gonzalez and Maria De La Luz Gonzalez (née Ramirez). Being born into a migrant family, he learned about hard work, dedication, and family at a very young age. These ideals would see him through an amazing life. His earliest memories were of picking fruit in California and after the family settled in San Simon, Arizona, he gained experience raising animals and numerous types of crops. He was an active member of the 4H Club and the Arizona FFA and received many awards from both organizations. He attended the University of Arizona to pursue an undergraduate degree and even worked a couple of holiday breaks at the famous Stanfield feedlot owned by John Wayne. Miley graduated with a BA in agricultural education in 1969. After graduation he was a vocational agricultural teacher in Avondale, Arizona at Agua Fria High School, managed crops in Venezuela, and returned to Arizona to teach agriculture at Parker, AZ. While raising cattle and working various operations in Arizona and northern Mexico he earned his master’s degree in agricultural education in 1976 from the University of Arizona. Miley earned his PhD in agricultural and extension education in 1982 from Pennsylvania State University. During his career he held positions at Penn State, Arizona, Iowa State, Montana State, New Mexico State, and CATIE in Costa Rica. He was the secretary of agriculture for the state of New Mexico, was selected as the Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics at USDA by President Clinton in 1997, and in 1998 he was named among the 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine. It is true what they say, “a rolling stone gathers no moss.” And anyone who ever met Miley knows he never stopped moving. There were always more projects, ideas, or more importantly, people to help. It is easy to list off the titles and positions he held, his professional accomplishments; and they are too numerous for this tribute. But the things he never forgot were his friends and family, and his greatest impact was on all of us. This nature he inherited from his parents; remember your community and your duty to those around you. Even at home, we can all recall the tireless man working on something on the car or house, planning a visit to an exotic location, or cooking. For those that knew him, know that he expressed his love through food and always loved to entertain friends and family and regale them with tales from the six continents he visited many times over. If you were fortunate enough to sample his creations, you can still remember the taste of his pozole, green chile guiso, or his famous holiday cheeseball. I recall someone asking him where he goes to eat good Mexican food, while living in Iowa, to which he replied, “my kitchen.” Possessing a razor wit, a keen intellect, and an affable nature made him easy to love. For if you did know him, you couldn’t help but do that. He was always willing to open his home to someone in need and lend an ear if you had a problem. His time was never more important than someone needing him. Inspiring to the end, he had the spirt of his ancestors, an Eagle Warrior waiting to take flight and return home. Miley is survived by his wife, Julie. His brother and his wife Rick and Belinda Gonzalez. His brother Julio Gonzalez. His sister and her husband Olga and Bill Pride. His daughters and their husbands Carmela and Jeff Thode, Jennifer and Chad Casady, and Marina and Mike Garrison. His sons and their wives Andrew and Victoria Hesler, and Damian and Jaime Gonzalez. His 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the following scholarship funds that have been established in his name. They continue his dedication to education and access to higher learning. http://weblink.donorperfect.com/AZFFAFoundationDonation https://catie.ac.cr/en/hacer-una-donacion.html A memorial service will take place at a future time.