Mario “Blackie” Gonzalez, a longtime aircraft mechanic, has retired from his job as a security guard with Madera Private Security Patrol of Madera.
His son Michael “Scott” Gonzalez, owner of the company, held a retirement party in his father’s honor at the business Friday evening.
Attendees included Gonzalez’s wife of 64 years, Theresa, sons Mario Jr., Scott, and Eric, and many co-workers and friends.
In high school, Gonzalez boxed and was Golden Glove Champion for four consecutive years in his weight class. As an aircraft mechanic, he was employed by early crop dusting companies in Madera including Cal-Air Dusters and Ray Pool Dusters. He worked on vintage World War II Stearman trainers that were converted to crop dusters after the war. Gonzalez retired from his aircraft mechanic work in 1996 after 43 years.