Gloria Gomez

Gloria Gomez of Lutz, FL passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on January 31, 2025 at the age of 86. She was a devoted wife and mother, and a cherished member of her community. She was known for her generosity and strength and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Born on March 25, 1938 in Utuado, Puerto Rico. Gloria was the eldest daughter of the late Antonio and Agripina Rivera. At the young age of six, she worked on the family farm in rural Arecibo, P.R. She also helped take care of her sixteen brothers and sisters until her move to Ansonia, CT in the early 1950s.

In 1958 Gloria met and married Eloy Gomez and they moved to New Haven, Connecticut where they proudly purchased their first home and began to start a family. They were happily married for 47 years until Eloy’s passing in 2005.

Gloria was a very generous person who always made it her mission to fervently assist those in need. She helped bring her parents and siblings from the island to the States, always opening up her home to family members when they were in need. Gloria valued education so much so that she instilled its importance in her children. Because of her lack of education, she taught herself how to read and write. She learned the English language by watching American soap operas. With her bilingual skills, Gloria would help and accompany other Puerto Ricans within her community who didn’t speak English to act as their interpreter and connect them with the resources they needed.

Gloria’s life changed when she attended a Catholic retreat where she found her faith and love for God; and she and her husband became actively involved with their church community in New Haven, CT. She was a devout Catholic and was ordained as a minister of the Holy Eucharist in 1989. She later became a proud member of Most Holy Redeemer Church in Tampa, FL where she continued her devotion to serve.

Gloria was the matriarch of her family. She loved hosting family gatherings at her home where she always cooked, entertained and made sure that you always felt right at home.

Gloria was predeceased by her brothers: Angel Luis, Francisco, Julio, and Enrique; son Norberto and granddaughter Elena. She leaves behind her sisters Carmen Rivera, Ana Alfonso, Blanca Muriel, Matilda Candelario and her brothers Israel Rivera, Jose Antonio Rivera; and twenty nieces and nephews.  She also leaves behind four children: Carmen Lamothe, Dacy Medina, Marcus Gomez, and Marisol Gomez and daughter in law: Daina Roman; ten grandchildren: Tonisha Parker, Julie Gomez, Elizabeth Roman, Angelica Gomez, Jessica Roman, Andre Lamothe, Joseph Lamothe, Rachel Guerrieri, Eric DeJesus, and Elysa Medina; fifteen great-grandchildren Dyniece Hamilton, Alvin Hamilton, Maximus Fuller, Jannai Brown, Jasmine Brown, Felicity Love, Caelyn Love, Jacob Love, Tyreese Thames Jr., Isabella Thames, Tahj Thames, Leiliah Story, Kairos Story, Trevor Irizarry, Noah Figueroa; and two great-great-grandchildren Carter Brown and Ava Brown.