Living in another county for 30 years didn't stop Raul Gomez and Mary Gonzales-Gomez from calling Corcoran home. They always knew they wanted to return to the city where they met.

And so they did. The couple is this year's royalty representing Corcoran in the Kings County Homecoming festivities.

Gonzales-Gomez, now 62, said she and her husband met at Corcoran High School -- he was on the football team and she was on the Sergeanette drill team. But they didn't date as teenagers.

"He was three years older and you didn't do those things then," Gonzales-Gomez said.

Raul Gomez went to Ohio for meat-cutting school. When he returned, they began to date and were married in Corcoran in 1964. After 46 years, they are still going strong.

"We have our ups and downs just like everyone else," said Gomez, now 65. "I just feel that I couldn't have a better wife. We just compromise and we always apologize."

After they were married, the couple moved to Tracy, where they raised three children: Jesse Gomez, Melissa Gomez-Corso and Karen Gomez-Barrera. The children later gave the couple 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Gonzales-Gomez went back to school and earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of the Pacific in Stockton.

The couple finally returned to Corcoran about 12 years ago.

"We're happy to be back home," Gomez said. "We love it here. We know everybody and I think everybody knows us."

They now reside in the home where Gonzales-Gomez was born, and she works for Corcoran Unified School District as a program manager and primary case manager. Gomez has since retired, but volunteers his time at the Corcoran YMCA and several other local places. He also served for one year on the federal grand jury in Sacramento and one year on the Kings County grand jury. Both husband and wife volunteer in their church and in their community because "we believe it is our civic duty to give back to our community," Gonzales-Gomez said.

"We have taught our children the importance of volunteerism and taking pride in your community," Gonzales-Gomez said. "There are complainers and there are doers. Raul and I like to think that we are doers."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2424.

May 10, 2009