Being raised in a community where your history connects to every part of your present, it is difficult to find the courage to leave. It is similarly difficult to forge a path and stay. Questa del Rio News is committed to highlighting different members of our community, both those who have created their paths and planted their own roots in the community that raised them, and those who have pursued lives outside of the community—through our Representando series. This series is dedicated to those who are Representando communities in northern Taos County, in various facets of life.
The first impression one gets of Charlie I. Gonzales is that he wholeheartedly cares about Questa and its people. Charlie and his wife Lucille of 50 years, have created a life here. Over the years, Charlie has built a legacy that spans over 25 years of public service and a 24-year career as a safety manager at the Questa Molycorp Mine.
From the Molycorp mine to the halls of the State Senate and the Mayor’s office in Questa, Charlie has dedicated his life to civic duty, driven by a strong belief in teamwork and a passion for helping his neighbors. While many people devote a term or a few years to their community, Charlie’s 25 years of public service is a career in and of itself.
Even with all his professional and public service accomplishments, the first thing Charlie talks about is his family. Born in Ranchos de Taos in March of 1944 to Nelson, a teacher of over 30 years, and Mable, a devoted stay-at-home mom, Charlie’s upbringing instilled a profound respect for community and education. Growing up, Charlie lived near both of his grandmothers, who were constantly teaching him and his four siblings lessons in respect. “We would always go to grandmother’s house as kids, especially when we’d smell baking bread,” Charlie smiles. As a child, Charlie started grade school in Ranchos de Taos, then moved to a one-room ranch school in Park Springs, Las Vegas, N.M., and eventually attended Allison-James school in Santa Fe. When asked about his moves, Charlie laughs, explaining his parents sent him with his sister, a teacher, “to act as her bodyguard.” Charlie noted his father as a key influence, someone involved in many community activities, including an all men’s club called SPMDTU (Trabajeros Unidos) who helped local elders. “My father was also very involved with the acequias. I learned from him how important it was to be part of the community and give back.” This mentality of giving back, along with his mother’s support set Charlie up for success in his future endeavors.
Charlie has five children—Charlene, Leroy, Rebecca, Juan Carlos, and Daniel—and their family continues to grow with seventeen grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. They spoke of the recent loss of their grandson William T. Gonzales who worked for Centinel Bank and passed away at only 42, two years ago and how difficult that has been for the family.
For the Gonzales family, tradition is key; Charlie and Lucille continue to honor the custom of Los Comanches, something Charlie has been involved with since he was a young man living in Ranchos de Taos. Specifically, Charlie is a singer and drummer for the group, something he enjoys immensely. This tradition celebrates Comanche dancers and plays songs on New Year’s Day starting at St. Francis de Asís, and traveling to nearby communities visiting houses of those named Manuel or Manuelita, a tradition he now includes with his grandson Juan Carlos Junior.
Charlie graduated from Taos High School in 1961 and started working immediately. “I took some classes at UNM but ultimately I learned my trade from on the job training and the school of the hard knocks,” Charlie laughs. “I was able to get so much training while working for the mine in safety, as an EMT, and even went to fire school in Reno, NV.” One person that stands out to Charlie as a mentor was his colleague Miguel Sanchez, head of safety at the mine. “I think the best thing someone can do is pick the minds of people who know more than them. Learn from people and learn their best abilities and try to make them some of your own.”
Charlie’s professional career began at the Questa Mine (Molycorp), where his focus in safety and loss control involved creating protocols, inspecting vehicles, and ensuring the safety of the miners. Charlie mentioned he was proud to work alongside Lucille, who worked for the Questa mine from 1967 to 2009 in business administration. “While at the mine we got to travel together and while I was in politics she was always there right by my side.” Ultimately, Charlie spent 24 years as a safety engineer at Molycorp, where he was well-treated, recalling the camaraderie and how “Everyone who worked at the mine had a nickname.” He also held high-level roles with the State of New Mexico Highway Department and American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) in El Paso, where his team earned top safety honors for three consecutive years.
Over the years, Charlie has had his share of health scares, including battles with kidney and nose cancer, and is proud to be a cancer survivor. He spoke highly of the compassion shown by his employers when he was sick. Specifically, he recalls the people at ASARCO being supportive when a tumor was found on his kidney. He recalls his boss telling him to “take the time you need and come back when you start feeling better.” “It’s stuff like that you really appreciate,” Charlie says. After suffering a heart attack in 2009, Charlie retired from the mine and decided to take a break from politics, though he eventually returned to his civic duties.
Charlie’s civic duty achievements span both Taos County and the Village of Questa. He served on the School Board for one term, on the Blue Bus Board proudly assisting in acquiring $7 million for a new maintenance complex in Taos, and on the Holy Cross Hospital Board. He worked as a Taos County Commissioner where he helped establish the Veterans Cemetery, the Taos County Assessor, and spent eight years in legislative policy alongside the late Senator Carlos Cisneros, where he worked as his bill analyst. In the Village of Questa, where he served two terms as Councilman and one term as Mayor, his key accomplishments include the long-standing “Healing Field of Honor” tribute for veterans and securing critical infrastructure for the village during his time in office.
There is one thing Charlie reiterated that was important to him while serving our community and still holds true today: transparency for the people of Questa and the surrounding communities. “I worry about the people here because the people of this village became my family. I only want transparency for the people of Questa,” he says. “The village must be fully informed, and citizens must have a right to approve or disapprove of its future,” Charlie says with passion. “When we work together we are stronger. Relationships, camaraderie, and trust are what matter most. Share your knowledge, do things right, and don’t hurt people.”
When asked what he and Lucille do for fun, they both expressed how they love retirement and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Charlie also expressed how much fun work was for both of them. “We just enjoyed doing what we were doing,” Charlie says, and Lucille agreed. He goes on to say, “Everything I did in life I loved doing.”
