Renate Maria (Trackert) Gonzales, age 81, of Mt. Laurel lost her struggle with heart disease on Friday, January 20 at Samaritan Hospice in Mt. Holly.  Born May 1, 1930 in Worms, Germany, she was a 40 year resident of New Jersey.

She will be remembered as a vivacious, generous and loving wife, mother, grandmother (Oma) and devoted friend, always ready with a generous smile.  She loved spending time with her family, especially the grandchildren but also donated time and energy to charities in the communities she lived in.  Renate was a master beautician, working at various locations in both Germany and the United States.  She enjoyed her years in bowling alleys all across the US and Germany, appreciated a good authentic taco accompanied by a tall cold Margarita, and attending to the various dogs that shared her lap.  She also took pleasure in crossword puzzles, WWE, swimming and traveling back to Germany when her health allowed.

Renate was preceded in death by her parents, George and Elisabeth Trackert and by her sister, Lottie Trackert.  She is survived by her husband of 50+ years, retired Army officer, Leo E. Gonzales; three children and their spouses, Maria and Paul Simmons of Guyton, GA, Alex and Joan Gonzales of Marlton, NJ and Christina Stark of Belleville, MI; a brother, Gunter Trackert of Germany; grandchildren Alisha, Justin, Michelle, Paige, Brooke and Stacy, along with numerous aunts, uncles, nephews, grandnephews, nieces, grandnieces and friends whom are blessed to have known her.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service for Renate on Thursday, January 26 at 11:00 AM at the chapel of the BGWCD Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 350 Province Line Road in Wrightstown, NJ.  Please meet at the Tilghman Funeral Home, 52 Main Street, New Egypt, NJ 08533 (www.tilghmanfh.com) by 10:30 AM on Thursday to drive to the cemetery in procession.

Due to cemetery restrictions, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Renate’s memory may be made to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org).