Eloise Tartaglia

Eloise (Mimi) Gomez Tartaglia passed away peacefully with her loving family surrounding her on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at 93 years of age. She was born in Port Tampa City, Florida, on February 23, 1928, to Tomas and Josefina Gomez. Eloise’s parents were immigrants from Northern Spain. They migrated via Cuba to Port Tampa in 1913 and 1915. Eloise was the youngest of four children.

While working at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Eloise met William (Bill) Tartaglia, who was stationed at MacDill. After a brief courtship they married in August 1951. They were fortunate to celebrate 50 years of marriage with a festive Italian themed party in 2001.

Eloise married a military man and traveled to many places during her life in the service: Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco; Torrejon Air Base, Madrid, Spain; Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, Texas, to name a few. She often commented that she loved being an Air Force Wife. They transferred back to MacDill in 1966 and Bill retired shortly thereafter. Eloise was proud of her many years of working for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service at MacDill as an Executive Secretary to the AAFES Director.

Eloise loved to travel, and she vacationed and explored in many places from Maine to California. She loved to dance, and Eloise and Bill won many dancing competitions. She played cards and games; particularly Bridge, crossword puzzles, and later in life, Bananagrams. Eloise was an avid reader, and when her eyesight failed, she enrolled in Texas Talking Books and ordered audio books to listen to.

Eloise was proudest of her two children, Gloria (Lori) Tartaglia Keeter and William (Bill) Anthony Tartaglia, and her two granddaughters, Cristi and Larissa. In 2005, along with her husband, she made her final move from Florida to Texas to be closer to her daughter, son and granddaughters.

Eloise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her siblings [Sister, Maria (Mary) Gomez Amason; Brother, Thomas (Tommy) Eugene Gomez; and Sister, Gloria Victoria Gomez Pierson]. Survivors include her daughter, Lori Keeter (James), Houston, Texas; son, Bill Tartaglia (Kathy), Keller, Texas; and two granddaughters, Cristina (Cristi) Keeter Hirschbuehler (Stephen), Houston, Texas, and Larissa Anne Tartaglia, Keller, Texas.

A Visitation and Celebration of Life for Eloise will be held on Friday, April 2, 2021 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, Houston, Texas. Eloise will be buried alongside her husband at the Houston National Cemetery.