Julio Gonzalez

Julio Gonzalez (91) was born on April 16, 1935, in Habana, Cuba, son of José González (a furniture maker) and his wife Carmen Garcia. He was a twin in a family of seven brothers and one sister. As a young man, he was employed by the American Embassy in Havana and remained there until its closure on January 3, 1961. He was offered asylum in the United States by the Eisenhower Administration, and on January 7, 1961, he fled to Miami with his parents and his younger sister, Carmen, in a flight arranged by the American government for its embassy employees and their families.

Upon arriving in Florida, Mr. González was temporarily assigned by the State Department to Washington, D.C. where he was tasked with performing the final audits for the American Embassy in Cuba. He was then offered the opportunity to work at any Latin American embassy he desired, but he chose to return to Miami, Florida, to work at the Cuban Refugee Center in Miami’s Freedom Tower instead. There, he met his wife, Martha Caridad Conesa Maffiotte, and the two married on September 29, 1962. They had two children, Julito y Martica.

Pursuing his interests in accounting, bookkeeping, and business administration, Mr. González resigned his post with the federal government to help his brothers establish a small business for the sale of used cars in Miami’s Little Havana. After the business’s closure, Mr. González worked for the accounting department at Dade County’s Community Family Health Center, a clinic for the care of the poor and indigent. Later, he pursued his Bachelor of Science Degree in accounting at the newly established Florida International University while juggling his responsibilities to his family and his job. Following his graduation at FIU, Mr. González obtained his certification as a public accountant. He worked as a Certified Public Accountant until his retirement in 2022.

Mr. González lived a life of great humility and selfless service, along with his wife, Martha, devoting himself to the care of his daughter, Martica, and supporting the upbringing of his grandchildren, Monica and Jessica. He was an animal lover who spent hours feeding countless feathered visitors at his home in Venice, Florida.

Mr. González is survived by his wife, Martha, his children Dr. Julio González and Martha González, his daughter-in-law, Dr. Gina Arabitg, his grandchildren Mónica and Jessica, his sister Carmen González, and a plethora of birds and wildlife who still call in the mornings for him to appear.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice on Friday, June 26, 2026 at 11:00 AM.  A visitation will take place at Farley Funeral Home in Venice on Friday, June 26, 2026 from 4:00PM-8:00PM.