Co-Founders - Jose Gonzalez
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Jose was born and raised in Laredo, Texas when his parents migrated from Monterrey, Mexico. He joined the U.S. Marines when he was 17 years old. While in the Marines he received a purple heart in Korea in 1951 and did two tours in Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in June 1974.
Jose met Mercedes Jordan in Bogota, Colombia, South America while assigned to guard the U.S. Embassy there. Jose married Mercedes, whom he nicknamed “Chiquita” and they had 7 children, Joseph, Carlos, Rudy, Juan Pablo, Liliana, German, and Marcela.
Jose has always loved his Hispanic Culture and “Fiesta Hispana” reflects that. Rebecca, Ninfa, and Jose worked countless hours to see that the Fiesta was a successful celebration. Jose would work hours on end in his little office calling and writing everybody just to promote Hispanic heritage and bring it to life.
Jose loved many things and for those of us that knew him knew he could be tough as nails or as gentle as a stuffed bear. He would many times tell us “slower, slower slow” depicting how in his later years he managed his affairs at his own pace and not at the pace of others. Jose was very generous with the many people he came in contact with.