Louann Gomez

Louann was born in Boxley Valley in northwest Arkansas, December 20,1934. She was the middle child of Joe and Beulah Edgmon. At the age of six, her family moved to Yellville, Arkansas, where Joe became a dairyman and farmer, and Beulah taught the fourth grade. Louann was raised to love the Lord and His creation. At the bottom of the hollow where they lived ran Greasy Creek. She and her siblings, Lila and Joe, and cousins, Shirley and Carol, would spend hours wading up and down that creek, catching crawdads and letting minnows nibble their toes. The Williams, John and Effie, were a short sprint down the road from the low- water crossing on the creek. Effie made fresh rolls everyday for them, and there was always homemade jelly to go with them. Louann always smiled when telling those childhood stories.

Louann had a heart for serving others. After high school, she moved to Fort Smith where she attended nursing school at Saint Edwards Hospital. After graduating, she married Joe Gomez, a striking soldier she met from nearby Fort Chaffee. They married in Oklahoma City in 1955, and her life as a soldier’s wife, with all of its travel, adventure, and sacrifice began. Her four children, Cindy, Marty, Mark, and Joe, were each born at a different duty station in a different state. She filled her home with music, delicious food, and lots of love.

She always kept her RN license current, and returned to work after the kids were in school. She loved nursing and spent many years as an oncology nurse. She was a tireless worker, and she was well-respected wherever she worked. In 1972, she and Joe built their retirement home in McLoud, Oklahoma. There, they joined the First Baptist Church where Louann made many life-long friends in her Sunday School class. She also became an active member of the Eastern Star at the Masonic Lodge in McLoud where she established a free community Christmas dinner which was held for many years.

Louann’s love for her family grew as her family grew. She was blessed with nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren to spoil and cherish. She would spend hours cooing and holding her grandbabies’ little hands.

Louann developed dementia later in life. She never let that cruel disease dampen her spirit or shake her faith. Even in memory care, where she lived her last years, she was a blessing to the residents and the caregivers, offering her help and comfort even in her last months. Louann would reflect on her situation sometimes, smile, and say, “Life is life.”

A visitation for Louann will be held Monday, April 15, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home, 8805 NE 23rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73141. A funeral service will occur Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM at McLoud First Baptist Church, 109 S. 8th St, McLoud, OK 74851. A graveside service at Arlington Memory Gardens will immediately follow the funeral service.

Serving as pallbearers are Martin Gomez, Mark Gomez, Joe Gomez Jr., Peter Stamus, Matt Gomez, Bill Gomez, and Michael Bateman.