Editing Lauro Cavazos (section)

== Early life and education ==
A sixth-generation Texan, Cavazos was born on the [[King Ranch]] near [[Kingsville, Texas]], and was the son of Lauro F. Cavazos Sr. and Tomasa (Quintanilla) Cavazos.{{r|NYT_McFadden_20220316}} His father served as foreman of the showcase [[Santa Gertrudis cattle]] division.{{r|Ezzell_19800214|page=[https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth184157/m1/19/ 19]}} Through his maternal ancestry, he was a descendant of [[Texas Revolution]] heroine [[Francita Alavez]], the "[[Goliad massacre|Angel of Goliad]]".{{r|NYT_McFadden_20220316}}

Cavazos enlisted the United States Army in 1944{{r|Cavazos_20080219|pages=[https://archive.org/details/kinenoremembersf00cava/page/112 112]}} and served state-side in an infantry unit in the waning days of World War II.{{r|NYT_McFadden_20220316}}  He was the brother of U.S. Army General [[Richard E. Cavazos]].{{r|Williams_20131118}}

Shortly after his discharge from the Army, Cavazos enrolled at Texas College of Arts and Industries (currently [[Texas A&M University–Kingsville]]), majoring in journalism.{{r|Cavazos_20080219|pages=[https://archive.org/details/kinenoremembersf00cava/page/113 113-114]}} He later transferred to Texas Technological College (currently [[Texas Tech University]]) where he earned [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] and [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] degrees in [[zoology]],{{r|LaVentana_1949|p=54}}.  He later earned a Ph.D. in [[physiology]] in 1954 from [[Iowa State University]] (ISU) in [[Ames, Iowa]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2006/apr/best.shtml|title=Iowa State University alumni, friends to receive top awards April 20|date=April 17, 2006|website=Iowa State University|language=en-us|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> While in college, he was a member of [[Kappa Kappa Psi]].