Maria "Coco" del Socorro Gonzalez was the first in her family to attend college.
Maria “Coco” del Socorro Gonzalez understood the importance of education. As the first in her family to attend college during a time when many Hispanic women didn’t have that option, the Laredo, Texas, elementary school teacher was determined that her sons would follow in her footsteps. “Our mother believed her job was to educate her three boys and have them obtain a college degree,” said Dr. Jose M. Gonzalez Jr. ’81. “It wasn’t if we were going to college; it was when we were going to college. She was talking about the importance of building citizens before it was in vogue.”
The quality of education that Jose and his brothers, Jose R. “Roomy” Gonzalez ’79 and Gerardo N. “Jerry” Gonzalez ’84, received at Texas A&M University prepared them to attain professional success. Over the years, the three brothers have remained involved in Aggieland by regularly attending home football games and providing financial support to The Association of Former Students.
Today, Coco’s ’s influence extends to the next generation of the Gonzalez family. Six of her grandchildren—including Jose’s two children, Jose M. Gonzalez III ’17 and Angelica B. Gonzalez ’19—earned their degrees in Aggieland. “Texas A&M has given my immediate family so much,” said Jose, who has owned a thriving dental practice in Laredo for more than three decades. “My wife, Annette and I wanted to give a big thank you to Texas A&M because of the experiences the university has afforded us and our children.”
