Cleo Gonsalves

Cleo Danne Gonsalves (March 21, 1931-March 7, 2026) was born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. She was very proud of her Oklahoma heritage, especially her Uncle Joseph Danne, who invented Danne Wheat, a.k.a. Triumph Wheat. In her late teens, she moved to Sunnyvale, California, where she eventually met her husband Charles while working at Libby’s Cannery. Prior to marriage, she also worked for over five years for NASA as a Mathematics Aid IV and supervisor. In addition to being a mother to six children, she worked for several years at Julian Garcia’s Plaza Motors in Santa Fe as a computer operator, and thereafter founded her own telephone company, Thrifty Telephone Exchange. Late in life, well into her 70s, she served as a school bus driver for the Santa Fe Public Schools for over 15 years, enjoying all of the students who crossed her path.

Cleo loved her growing family above all, but also loved all living things as reflected in her care of orphaned or injured baby rabbits and birds, and many pets and farm animals over the decades. She also loved to sing and taught all of her children how to sing and whistle.

Cleo was predeceased by her husband of 41 years, Charles Gonsalves, her son Anthony Gonsalves, and her sisters Lorraine and Margaret. She leaves behind her brother Richard Greenwalt (and wife Anna); five children: Mary Gonsalves, Fr. Joseph Gonsalves, OFM, Inés Gonsalves-Martinez (and husband Carl Martinez), Teresa Gonsalves (and husband Mohamed Harchich), and Simon Gonsalves; nine grandchildren: Sebastian Martinez (and wife Amanda), Francesco Martinez (and wife Lety), Elizabeth Martinez, Rodrigo Martinez (and wife Lexi), Fernando Martinez (and wife Nicole), Veronica Martinez, Constantine Martinez, Adam Harchich, and Alexandra Gonsalves; and seven great grandchildren (and counting): Fatima, Charles, Theodore, Aurora, Augustine, Dawson and Trystan Martinez.

Cleo served in the Altar Society of many parishes during her life-journey and was a faithful parishioner at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Santa Fe during her later years.

Cleo was a strong woman, and lived a long and full life. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who were fortunate enough to know her.

A Rosary will be recited March 23rd, 2026, at 10:00am with a funeral Mass at 11:00am at St. Johns the Baptist Catholic Church, 1301 Osage Ave., Santa Fe, NM and Internment to follow at 12:30pm at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.