Socorro Alcocer

Socorro was born on June 28, 1942, in Mexico City DF, Mexico. She moved with her family to Tijuana, B.C. Mexico in the 1950’s. Socorro grew up poor but determined to succeed despite the challenges faced by her and her family. Socorro emigrated to the United States in 1959 at the age of 17. Once in the US she held several jobs as a live-in nanny and helped to raise and care for the children of these fortunate families. These first jobs as a young woman allowed her the opportunity to send money back home to Tijuana where her mother and younger siblings counted on her for financial support.

Socorro met Mario Francisco Alcocer in 1962 and married him, after some coaxing, in 1963. She went on to have three children with her husband, for which she became a wonderful, supportive, and caring mother as well as a loving and supportive wife.

Socorro helped her husband to establish a successful appliance repair service, California Appliances, in 1972. With her help running the front office and setting appointments, California Appliances was one of the first minority owned businesses to be awarded a government contract in 1972 with the US Department of Navy providing appliance service to NAS North Island Naval Air Base.

After working with her husband for several years at California Appliances, she decided to return to school and finish her studies. In 1976 she attended Midway Adult School in Loma Portal and completed her high school diploma. She later went on to study further and earned her certificate as a dental assistant where she worked for the San Diego Children’s Dental Health Clinic now San Diego Children’s Dental Health Center.

Socorro worked there for many years, and eventually became the office manager for this successful dental center that continues to provide valuable dental services to the low-income children in San Diego.

Ever the believer of education as the answer for personal improvement and career advancement, Socorro again returned to school and attended San Diego City College and graduated in 1981 with an AA in Business Administration. Throughout this endeavor, Socorro continued to support her children and husband first, frequently tackling her assignments and homework after the needs of her family were met.

In 2000 Socorro became a citizen of the United States of America. She felt that it was important to vote and exercise the rights we have as citizens to speak up and be heard. In later years, Socorro became very interested in helping the local community by voting and supporting those that were interested in helping those with little privilege or resources.

Throughout her work at the San Diego Children’s Health Clinic, Socorro worked tirelessly to help ensure that low-income children in the San Diego area receive urgent and needed dental health care. Socorro retired from her efforts at the clinic in 1997 in order to help care for her ailing mother.

After her husband Mario passed away in 2008, Socorro dedicated her efforts to working part-time and volunteering for several nonprofit organizations. Socorro always believed in helping others by providing caring words of wisdom and by promoting the ideas of universal education.

After her retirement, Socorro decided to work part time at other dental health facilities as well as volunteer at the San Diego Central Public Library, at elementary schools in the San Diego Unified School District, and continued to further her education by taking classes at San Diego City College.

Socorro was always concerned for and advocated for those individuals that are less fortunate. This was especially true for low-income children and their families that face the challenges of poverty and discrimination. Socorro was a champion for those children that were sometimes misunderstood and needed a defender of their rights.

Socorro is survived by her three children, Dario, Catalina, and Mario. Due in large measure to Socorro’s influence and strong beliefs in advanced and continuing education, all her children have had the fortune to become college graduates and are productive members of their communities. This along with Socorro’s untiring work throughout her life to support her family and her community is part of her lasting legacy.

Socorro’s viewing will be held at Aztlan Mortuary at 7856 La Mesa Blvd La Mesa, California 91941 on June 16, 2022 from 5 – 9 pm. Funeral services will be held on Friday June 17, 2022 at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church located at 656 24th St. San Diego, California 92102. The funeral mass will start promptly at 11 am. Socorro’s internment will be held at 2pm at El Camino Memorial Park located at 5600 Carroll Canyon Rd. San Diego, California 92121. A reception will be held afterwards in La Mesa. Please contact Socorro’s surviving family members for the location of the reception.