Aura Sofia Gonzalez

Aura Sofia Sanchez de Gonzalez, born May 26th, 1924, in Bogota, Colombia to Leonidas Sanchez and Maria Antonia Lopez de Sanchez. Being the youngest daughter of seven siblings, she learned to be responsible for herself and to be helpful to others. Known for her tenacity to move forward and achieve, she played basketball and even reached a competition overseas here in the United States. All while finishing school at a time women weren’t expected to do so. Later in life she had a successful career working for the government in her native country. During her prolific life, she volunteered for different organizations, one being “Our Lady of Mercy”, which helped raise abandoned children from incarcerated women.
In her late twenties she married Ernest Gonzalez, was a faithful wife for 60 years, and had a daughter, to whom she dedicated her best years. Aura was an avid collector of antiques, she enjoyed friends, cooking, dancing, playing cards, and riding her bicycle with her husband and daughter. Before immigrating to the United States, Aura had her travel agency and real estate office, gifted with a knack for business, and a talent for entrepreneurship. Just like a guardian angel, she played an important part in the lives of her two grandchildren and when she became a great-grandmother, she carried a strong loving presence in the life of her great-grandson even at her advanced age.
Once in the States, she started to work for the Social Security Administration, a job that she embraced with her special exuberance. An open mind with an inclination for exploration, she treated the world as her backyard visiting several countries. Even later in life, specifically when she turned 80-years old she visited to the Middle East; however as well traveled as she was her favorite place to visit was always The Magic Kingdom (Orlando, Florida). Her ardent beauteous affection for Disney, was something of fairytales themselves too. She often wrote letters to the Disney Company, and was always giddy when they responded, she also left a great collection of Disney figurines. Her absolute favorite time of the year was Christmas, and as a devout Catholic, she read her Bible daily and prayed the Rosary. In her late years she was a fan of Westerns often seen cheering the cowboys as they galloped around the countryside, because that’s who she was, a caring person with love for freedom in every way. She admired the greats like Elvis Presley, keeping her youth alive.
Aura Sofia passed away on March 21st, 2026, at age 101, she will always continue to live on in the hearts of her daughter, grandchildren, great-grandson, family, friends and everyone she touched with her more than life ebullience. We will always love you, miss you and cherish you.