In 2005, Patricia Gonzales and her grandchild Ro stopped in the crowded restroom at Chicago’s Millennium Station. Ro hoped to get in and out before heading to the Art Institute, but after noticing a custodian cleaning the sinks, Patricia had other plans.

“This is the cleanest public restroom I’ve ever seen!” she said before asking about the custodian’s work and family. By the end of their chat, Patricia and the custodian were old friends.

This is emblematic of the person Patricia was—charming, curious, generous with compliments, and fiercely empathetic. She learned the life story of anyone she encountered, from grocery store cashiers to the hospice workers who cared for her in her final days. She died on September 22, 2026, at age 85, in Munster, IN.

Patricia was born on September 23, 1940, in Cincinnati, OH, to John Buck and Gladys Smith, who raised her in Madison, WI.

A proud feminist, Patricia was a member of the League of Women Voters, AAUW, and local activist groups everywhere she lived, including her most beloved homes, Hammond and Miller Beach, IN. In the 1970s, she advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment, which Indiana ratified in 1977.

She loved art, theater, music, books, collecting duck figurines, and camping trips with “The Gourmet Group,” a cluster of friends from all walks of life. Most nights and weekends, she could be found at community meetings, garden clubs, and book clubs.

Patricia was preceded in death by her loving husband of 50 years, Dr. Richard Gonzales. Together, Patricia and Richard were affectionate and playful, and Richard always allowed her to be “a dickens.” Her brother, John Buck Jr., died earlier this year.

She is survived survived by her sister, Sandra Heneri; daughter, Carmen (David) White of Munster, IN; three stepchildren that she loved as her own, Michele (Ray) Gordon of Cherry Hill, NJ, Richard (Sali) Gonzales of Midlothian, TX, and Lisa Babbitt of Montgomery, IL; five grandchildren, Douglas (Kristi), Amanda (Christian), Sarah (Dylan), Rachel, and Ro; four great grandchildren, Jackson, Braxton, Owen, and Afton; niece Belinda Strannigan (Gary); nephew Brian Krantz (Christina); brother-in-law Doug Gonzales (Mary); sister-in-law Nancy Buck; and many close friends, including her best bud Jan Trusty.

Patricia will be remembered for making the world a more joyous and equitable place. To honor her legacy, Patricia’s family encourages others to do something to make a difference in your community through volunteering, activism, or other acts of kindness. A private memorial will be held at a later date.