Obituary of Richard A. Gonzalez

Richard A. Gonzalez, 76 of Chapel Hill  passed away on Sunday, November 1^st, 2020 at Brookshire Nursing Center in Hillsborough, NC after a lengthy battle with kidney disease. Known as ‘Rich or ‘Richie’ by his close friends and acquaintances, he was esteemed by many and will be deeply missed. He never met a stranger and treasured his friends, family, and faith.

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, he graduated from Mt. Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx. After a stellar high school football career, he accepted an athletic scholarship to play football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That brought him to North Carolina in 1961 where he eventually met his wife, Judy. They raised their two sons and lived the rest of their lives in Chapel Hill.

Rich was extremely active in the community. He was a proud member of the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club serving as Secretary, Vice President and President. For a number of years, he was called on at Friday meetings to deliver news, stories and jokes centered around club members. He was known for his humor and clever stories. Through Rotary he and a handful of friends established the ‘No Tones’, a singing group that focused on 1950’s music. Growing up a huge ‘Do-Wop’ fan, this brought him much joy and entertainment. Rich was the lead singer and his signature song, ‘In the Still of the Night’ became a crowd favorite. His love of music made him an expert at identifying ‘who sang that song’. He could not only name the artist of the 50’s tunes, he knew the words as well.

Rich was an icon in his real estate specialty which involved finding locations and negotiating contracts for his national clientele with retail developers throughout the United States. He is considered a pioneer in the world of retailer representation. In 1969 he began his career with Record Bar headquartered in Durham, NC.  After successfully opening a multitude of stores nationally for Record Bar and turning them into a household name, he then established his own commercial real estate firm in 1987 and retired in 2018. For twenty years he and his close friend Brett Milkie hosted a very popular golf tournament for industry leaders who anxiously awaited each invitation.

Always true to his word, agreements with his own clients were usually based on a verbal agreement or handshake. One never needed to worry about him living up to his end of the bargain. His reputation, character and trustworthiness were impeccable, all attributes that are unique in today’s business world.

Rich is survived by his sons Greg and Mike, Mike’s wife Heather and granddaughter Riley and by Rich’s brother Lou and his wife Ann and their four sons.

He was preceded in death by his wife Judy Gonzalez.

The family will have a private graveside burial service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Orange County Animal Services.

The family would like to thank the staff at Carolina Dialysis-Carrboro, UNC Hospitals and Peak Resources Brookshire for the care Rich received over the years.

Walker’s Funeral Home of Chapel Hill is assisting the family