Father and son to graduate together from TAMUCC after mother’s passing, carrying her memory across stage

By Makaylah Chavez

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    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KRIS) — A father and son duo at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will walk across the graduation stage together this weekend, fulfilling a promise made in the wake of a family tragedy.

Jonathon Conyers and his father John enrolled at the Island University together in fall 2021, just after Jonathan’s mother Norma passed away from cancer in August of that year.

“I was already scheduled for classes but it was a really crazy time in our lives. So it was very hard,” Jonathon Conyers said.

John Conyers knew his wife’s dream was for their son to pursue higher education.

“Since he was little she knew he was going to graduate college,” John said.

After losing his wife, John made the decision to enroll alongside his son.

“He was like you know what, I’m going to enroll in classes too and hopefully we’ll graduate together in four years, we’ll walk the stage together,” Jonathon said.

The father-son duo became first-year Islanders together, with Jonathon majoring in violin performance—a choice that honors his mother’s memory.

“My mom’s favorite instrument was a violin. So I took orchestra, also because I knew she really liked it and I wanted to play something good for her,” Jonathon said.

John pursued a major in art, expanding his knowledge of design through illustrations, painting and ceramics—much of it inspired by his son.

“A lot of my art revolves around Jonathon, the violin, the music all of that seems to come out in my art,” John said.

With classes in the same building, their paths would occasionally cross on campus.

“If we came across each other I would give him a fist bump and that was about it. Although I wanted to give him a hug,” John said.

“Sometimes we would leave the house at the same time and he would steal my parking spot when we would get to school,” Jonathon said.

The shared experience of grief while pursuing their education strengthened their bond.

“Knowing when he had days where the grief piled on, knowing there were days where he was going through the same thing that I was going through and going to school and working full time pushes you to think well I can do that too,” Jonathon said.

After graduation, Jonathon will head to the University of Oregon to pursue a master’s degree in music. But first, he and his father will share that special walk across the stage.

“We’re going to walk the stage together with her urn as well. It’s kind of a symbolic thing like we made it,” Jonathon said.

John believes his late wife would be overjoyed by their accomplishment.

“She would be over the moon, floating on air. This would be her crowning moment for him,” John said.

Jonathon and his father will graduate Saturday, with Jonathon receiving special recognition as an Outstanding Islander Graduate.

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