Jose Gonzalez

1950 - 2025

Jose Gonzalez
11/11/1950 - 09/21/2025
Jose Gonzalez, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed from this life on September 21, 2025, after a long battle with the invisible wounds of war. He was born November 11, 1950, and raised in Laredo, Texas, where he graduated from Laredo High School in 1969. From his earliest days, Jose possessed a deep sense of duty and compassion- a spirit that would carry him through both the darkest and brightest chapters of his journey.
When the call of service reached him, knowing that his "number" was likely to be drafted, Jose chose the honorable path of volunteering for the United States Army. In 1970 he entered active duty in El Paso, Texas, beginning a chapter that would define the essence of his character. He could not bear the thought of taking another life and instead sought to save them. He became a field medic, healing rather than harming, and standing in the breach for his brothers in arms.
In Vietnam, Jose carried out his duties with extraordinary courage and tenderness. While tending to soldiers in the field, he also reached out to the innocent and vulnerable, trading cigarettes and meager supplies for baby formula and diapers to sustain a Catholic orphanage. His path of mercy was not without cost- exposure to Agent Orange during those years ultimately claimed his life decades later, yet even that sacrifice speaks to his enduring devotion: to serve, to heal, to care.
For his service, Jose earned multiple decorations, including the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal (three times), and recognition as an Expert with the M-16 rifle. He was honorably discharged from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, having attained the rank of Specialist Six (E-6) and serving as both a Medical Specialist and Respiratory Specialist.
Jose pursued higher education with relentless determination. He became a respiratory therapist, earned his undergraduate degree, and then entered the University of Oklahoma College of Law, graduating in 1986. He accomplished all this while working full-time and providing for his six children, his perseverance as profound as his intellect.
Jose's legal career was marked by both brilliance and compassion. Practicing in McClain, Cleveland, and Oklahoma Counties, he handled a wide range of cases, from criminal defense to domestic law and medical malpractice. His medical background gave him an uncommon insight into the complexities of malpractice, and it was during one such case that fate reintroduced him to Pamela Sue Rogers. Both had once worked their way through school as respiratory therapists, but this reunion bloomed into enduring love. Jose and Pam were married in Las Vegas on March 23, 2002, beginning a life together that was as passionate as it was purposeful.
Together, they founded the firm Gonzalez & Rogers in Purcell, Oklahoma, where they built a reputation for fierce advocacy and uncommon humanity. Jose often represented those who had no one else to fight for them. If his clients could not afford to pay, he would allow them to work off their fees-and sometimes, he would pay them for their labor instead. His generosity extended far beyond the courtroom, as he took on countless pro bono cases, embodying the highest ideals of justice and mercy. Fellow attorneys admired him as a natural in the courtroom, with a keen ability to cut through pretense and reach the heart of any matter.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Jose was a man of family and faith. He cherished sitting on his back porch, watching the wildlife in quiet reflection. He delighted in traveling, exploring new cultures and cuisines with curiosity and joy. Most of all, he loved being surrounded by his children and grandchildren, whose laughter and milestones filled his heart with pride.
Jose is survived by his devoted wife Pamela Sue Rogers, his children Jose Gonzalez Jr., Francisco Gonzalez, Leon Gonzalez and Ngim, Josephine Fentriss and Ford, Trey Barnes and Trina, and Derek Nickens, as well as his beloved grandchildren, Destiny Gonzalez, Stefani Navarro Sacchetti, Monica Claudio, Rebecca Claudio, Cayman Fentriss, Kyla Fentriss, Brandon Gonzalez, Isabella Gonzalez, Reyna Barnes, Demetri Kirk, Cale Barnes, Nicholas Walker, and Erika Green, and great grandchildren Brianna Cook and Elias Sacchetti. He also leaves behind his brother and sister-in-law Leon Gonzalez Jr. and Lydia, and his brother-in-law David Campbell of New Mexico, who selflessly donated a kidney to Jose after his exposure to Agent Orange left him disabled.
He was preceded in death by his treasured daughters Bertha "Lolly" Gonzalez and Velinda Gonzalez, his mother Guadalupe Mata Gonzalez, his grandmother Paulita Hernandez, and his mother-in-law Nancy Campbell of New Mexico.
Jose's life was one of courage, compassion, and unyielding integrity. He lived as he served-with open hands and a steadfast heart, reminding family that anyone in need could be an undercover angel. His legacy will endure in the countless lives he touched, in the family he loved beyond measure, and in the example he leaves behind of service, sacrifice, and love.
A full military funeral service will be held at his burial site at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire, New Mexico in spring 2026. While final arrangements are still pending, details will be shared once confirmed. At this time no local services are planned.
If you were to ask Jose what his final words of wisdom would be, he would probably tell you to go to the movies, eat a tamale, and there is always hope.