Grace Flora Gomer – A diligent Life
September 6, 1926 – January 16, 2021
Grace Flora Gomer lived up to her name -- her life was a testament to God’s abundant and generous grace. She was born September 6, 1926, to Mr. and Mrs. Jebamony in Kulasekharapatnam, India while Mr. Jebamony was a Draftsman in the East India Company Sugar Factory. Over the decades, she called many places her home: Madurai, Prakasapuram and, Nazareth in India; Divulapitiya, in Sri Lanka; and Loma Linda, California, USA.
Her early and Middle School education were obtained in St. Joseph’s Convent, Madurai, India. She also attended the American College in Madurai where she completed two years of study and then worked very briefly in a dental office before marriage.
In 1946, Grace married S.T. Gomer in Prakasapuram and moved to Sri Lanka. Both in Prakasapuram and in Divulapitiya, Grace was active in the church as a Dorcas leader, Sabbath School teacher, and in women’s ministries. She loved her neighborhood children, who fondly called her Mommy. She told them stories, taught them how to garden, and encouraged them to do well in school. She even helped some of them attend Lakpahana, the only Adventist boarding school in Sri Lanka. With assistance from the Gomer family, a new church was constructed in Divulapitiya and Grace participated in the grand opening in January 2013. In 1958, Grace attended the 48th General Conference Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cleveland, Ohio.
Grace lived in Nazareth, Tamil Nadu, from 1964 to 1969. There she utilized her entrepreneurial and creative spirit to restore, remodel, and modernize a dilapidated house into a beautiful residence that was named “Happy Home,” to symbolize what she wished for all who lived there and their guests to experience. Her efforts to furnish the home and surround it with a beautiful garden of flowers and fruit trees became a blessing to family and friends for decades. She maintained the house until her death. In 2010 she had the house converted to an elementary school, with an initial enrollment of 35 students of whom 20 were financially sponsored by her. The Nightingale School, as it was named, has a current enrollment of 150 students of whom Grace supported 25. In1994, she started to provide financial help to twenty widows and currently there are twenty-nine widows.
In 1985, the Gomers’ moved to the USA and made Loma Linda, CA, their home. There Grace was instrumental in introducing an annual tradition from Prakasapuram and Divulapitiya – that of holding an early morning New Year service in Tamil. Her grandchildren were privileged to have her as a caregiver when their parents were away at work. She faithfully cared for her husband when he was in the Nursing Home for nine years prior to his passing in 2019.
Grace’s many interests in life included gardening, cooking, sewing, crocheting and knitting. She made beautiful dresses and designed saree blouses for her daughters. She also made many baby blankets and quilts for her grandchildren and great grandchildren and others in the community.
Grace was blessed with six children: Dhamayanthy Merlin who married Maharajan Ponraj; Dharmakumar Wilson who married Dory; Dharmaseeli Dee who married Devadas Moses; Dayasingh Edwin who married Susan; Padmini Pathu who married David Davamony; and Doris Dokku who married Arputharaj Kore. She is survived by all of them and 16 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and a sister, Jane Jabez.
Grace was devoted to God, her family, and church community. Her daily practice of Bible study and devotional readings energized her faith. She was generous with her wisdom, empathy and love to all around her. The warmth of her personality, compassion and generosity touched many hearts. She was a gentle soul and rare treasure who will be greatly missed.
