Rudy Gonzales, last of the old-time sign painters, dies at 90

Rudy Gonzales, who handpainted signs large and small for more than a half-century along Route 66 in New Mexico, died on April 21. He was 90. A rosary and memorial Mass for Gonzales will be held Friday at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Tucumcari, according to his obituary. Route 66 News published a feature about … Continue reading Rudy Gonzales, last of the old-time sign painters, dies at 90

Another sign painter with a long history on Route 66

A few years ago, I tracked down Rudy Gonzales of Tucumcari, N.M., who hand-painted signs along the Route 66 corridor in the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico for five decades. Another sign painter has operated along Route 66 for about as long in eastern Arizona. According to an article in the Arizona Journal, Severo Barela of … Continue reading Another sign painter with a long history on Route 66