Manuel Gomez

Manuel Simon Gomez, 94 from Dulce, NM passed peacefully on Saturday December 4, 2021 surrounded by his loving family at his home.  Manuel was born in Santa Fe, NM on July 9, 1927 to Jose Eugenio Gomez and Adelina Duran Gomez. He was the eldest of eight children and remained dedicated to his parents in running and maintaining the family ranch in Dulce.

He graduated from St. Francis High School in Lumberton, NM as Class Valedictorian and served proudly in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict for two years and was honorably discharged.  He returned to the family ranch to assist his parents in caring for the ranch and his siblings.

In 1953, while attending the Santiago feast day celebration dance in Tierra Amarilla, NM, he met the love of his life, Bernadette C. Montano and in 1954 they were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Espanola, NM. During their 67 years of marriage, they were blessed with seven children: Edmund (Elena), Jose E. (deceased) Effie (Kevin), Joe (Linda), Manuel Herbert (Valerie), Valerie (Carlos), Manuel (Kelly), 22 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and Rosie and Sylvester Gomez who he considered as his children.

He was always a humble, hard-working man keeping the ranching and store business running successfully while spending quality time with his family.  He taught his children responsibility and hands-on work ethic by his example and working at the businesses. Manuel was a jack of all trades and could almost do anything that was required to build and maintain his home, ranch, and business.  Until his passing, he continued to farm the family homestead which he purchased from his siblings and tend to his livestock.

Manuel was a man of deep devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother. Through his daily example, he instilled his Catholic faith on his family.  He served on the Saint Francis Catholic Church Parish Council and School Board in Lumberton, NM for many years, contributing funding and physically assisting in building the Saint Francis School building and securing funding for their continuation for many years.

A Rosary will be recited at Saint Francis Catholic Church in Lumberton, NM on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, December 10 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Francis Catholic Church.  Burial will be at the Gomez Family Cemetery in Dulce with the following serving as pallbearers: Greg O’Brien, Matt O’Brien, Jose Gomez, Simon Gomez, Chris Gomez, Carlos Dominguez, Charles Dominguez, and Dominic Gomez. The remainder of Manuel’s grandsons will serve as honorary pallbearers.  In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorials would be made to St. Jude’s Children Research Medical Hospital at: http://www.stjude.org/give/memorials-and-dedications.html under Manuel S. Gomez Sr. The family of Manuel Simon Gomez have entrust the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home &Crematoey of the Espanola Valley. 505-747-7477

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