Zeferino Gonzalez Hernandez was born in Matamoras, Coahuila, Mexico, the son of Jesus Gonzalez and Maria de Jesus Gonzalez.  He was the oldest of three children, followed by Jose Guadalupe Gonzales and Amparo Gonzalez.

Zeferino arrived in Weslaco, Texas in 1945 where he labored as a farm worker.  There he came to know Casta Martinez and they were married in 1947.  From this union came seven children: Teresa, Jesus, Manuel, Olga, Marylou, Maria Elena, Victoria and Connie.

As farmworkers, the Gonzales had to travel in search of work taking them to such places as Idaho, Oregon, Arizona and various towns in California where they finally established themselves permanently in Reedley, California in May of 1957.  This is the place where Zeferino lived his final years. 

In 1965 Zeferino participated in the Christianity Cursillo Movement.  This participation strengthened his faith and changed his life forever.  He began to involve himself in various activities of the Catholic Church.  Zeferino was president of the Cursillo Movement of the region for more than 18 years.  He also worked with the Guadalupana Society of Reedley for many years.

Zeferino always tried to help the poor and unfortunate.  He worked as manager of Song Ranch in Dinuba, California for several years and had seen the terrible conditions in which the farmworkers labored.  For these reasons, he participated in the march with Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Union in solidarity for the improvement of working conditions for the farmworkers.

In 1981, Zeferino began to work in the Hispanic Apostolate Office in the Diocese of Fresno.  He began as a plant worker, but afterwards became coordinator of his own office.  As coordinator, he traveled to Boston, New York and Miami, and was constantly bringing his faith to others throughout the United States, participating and directing workshops, retreats, and meetings.

In 1998, Zeferino achieved his golden dream to travel at last to Rome where he fulfilled it by meeting the Holy Father John Paul II

Zeferino dedicated the last 25 years of his life to the work on behalf of the farmworkers, bringing the Church and the faith to the places where the farmworkers labored in the San Joaquin Valley

Zeferino is survived by his seven children, 26 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.