Jose Gabriel Gamboa

Jose Gamboa, 61, passed away August 16, 2016. He was born in Mazatlán, Mexico. He came to America alone when he was 16. Always passionate about education and learning, Jose enrolled himself in Santa Cruz High School and then obtained his Bachelor's Degree from the University of San Francisco. A Santa Cruz resident for 45 years, Jose had a long career in waste management and recycling, serving the City of Santa Cruz for 17 years, six as the Superintendent of Waste Disposal. He also served as the General Manager of the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority for six years. Jose was active in his community, working with numerous community-based organizations. He was on the Board of Directors for the Grey Bears and Second Harvest Food Bank, the Santa Cruz-San Benito Senior Council, was President of the Latino Chamber of Commerce in Watsonville, and served on various community advisory committees. His retirement years were spent surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He loved to travel, enjoyed music, the arts, reading and cooking. His extreme passion for life was evident to anyone he met, and he always showed he cared about those around him. Jose is survived by Elsa, his beloved wife of 13 years, his children, Tania, Monica, Andrea and Gabby and six loving grandchildren: Shane, Isabel, Priscilla-Ann, Sebastian, Oliver, and Sophia. He also leaves his parents, Guadalupe Rubio de Gamboa and Jose Gamboa-Zazueta, Sister Judith Gamboa-Rubio, three nieces and two nephews, and six half brothers and sisters in Guadalajara Mexico.