This online memorial was created in loving memory of Richard J. Gomez, whose life story is told throughout this memorial website.

Richard J. Gomez, devoted husband to Carol, fabulous father to Michelle, and beloved by all who knew him. Proud IBEW 3 Electrician and Cable Splicer. Remarkable and unique renaissance man.

Check back often to share our memories and see any updates.

We ask that you sign Richard's guest book by clicking the link above and let us know you came to visit. We will remember Richard forever.
 

DADDY!!!!!!!!!

After the complete shock, disbelief, and horror slowly transition into overwhelming sorrow and pain, feelings of anger start making me numb. From the beautiful outpouring of love from all of you here and those who couldn’t not be here today, I believe these are feelings that many of you have felt or continue to feel. This was such a surprise.

Usually, I love surprises. This is without a doubt the one that I will never love.
Usually, I know how to sleep. Now it is very difficult.
Usually, I know how to eat (and eat very well, I might add). Now it is very difficult.
Usually, I know how to write. Now the concept and the actual writing of this very difficult.
Usually, I know how to speak. Now it is very, very difficult.

However, what is not difficult at all is to say that, “My Father was an amazing man!” I take that back. That sentence was very difficult to say as none of us should be speaking about him in the past tense. Unfortunately, we are.

We all have great memories of time spent with my Father. I am fortunate to have a plethora of them. To share them all with you, we’d be here over thirty (30) years :), so I’ll just share a few, and please note that they are not in any specific order:

• The first place Father/Daughter Bowling Trophy.

• Him teaching me how to drive.

• The Entenmann’s Chocolate Donuts for breakfast and the Baskin-Robbins ice cream sundaes for dessert that he snuck into the hospital for me when I was in traction.

• The daily letters he wrote me while I was in summer camp that extended into all of my undergrad and graduate years at The American University.

• And in freshman year of college, my roommate would get quarters in her letters for laundry. So I asked my Daddy for the same. He basically laughed and said he wasn’t sending quarters in the mail. So what do I find in a letter a few days later? A crisp, new one dollar bill. From that day on, every letter I received had a dollar bill enclosed for laundry money.

• The stories he would tell of his youthful antics with his friends in Electchester.

• The stories he would tell about the jobs and wonderful people he worked with as a proud electrician and cable splicer of IBEW Local 3.

• He would tell the stories in such detail and the expression on his face was as if he was back in time reliving and loving every minute of it.

My Dad, the Chef. He enjoyed cooking. While you know that our family is Jewish, we celebrate the joys of the Christmas Season and would have people over every Christmas Morning for Brunch. All kinds of breakfast food would be served and Daddy would make two of his specialties – Amaretto Chocolate Cheesecake (YUM!!!) and pancakes from scratch, NOT a mix!

This delightful tradition started sometime in my elementary school years and continued through this past Christmas. At first, it was just my childhood friends. Then as we kids grew older, my parents’ friends came and there were two (2) seatings – children then adult. Starting at the college years, there was one seating with a continual rotation of chairs; age wasn’t a factor. And in the years since college, my friends continue to come to brunch, but now with their spouses and sometimes their children.

It definitely goes without saying that my Dad will be missed this Christmas.

And I must add, he made the most delicious chocolate moose and homemade garlic mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving. (I told you earlier I could eat very well.)

My father and his camera; he was an avid photographer. As some of my friends here today might say they remain my friend only because of the pictures my father took of them that could be used as blackmail from Christmas Brunches, Birthday Parties and wonderful Halloween Parties. (It’s amazing how cool we thought we looked when we were younger!)

My father and his Jazz Collection; he was an avid Jazz collector. His favorite store was J & R Music World. And just when Mom and I thought that there couldn’t possibly be a new CD he could buy, a new one appeared. In fact, several of them did the day before he passed away.

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I’m grateful for the relationship I had with my father and it only grew stronger and stronger over the years. We’d talk DAILY and over the past few months, sometimes three, four or five times a day. Sometimes they were just quick calls to say “I love you,” while others were more detailed ... which was usually me blabbing on about something with work, the forced renovations my house is under due to a pipe leak, or the wonderful weekend Bruce and I had as I drove back from his place to mine.

There were times I’d let my Dad speak too :). He would tell me of the wonderful day he spent going to the gym with his iPod on full blast or into the city to J&R and then to Union Park, his favorite park, to meet my Mother. There they would sit with their Starbucks, talk, read, people watch, and just appreciate the beauty of the world around them, together. Minus the gym and a change of location to Central Park, I’m grateful that he was able to do this on Tuesday. In separate conversations with my Dad and then my Mom, they both told me about their beautiful day, together.

I’m grateful for my Dad and how he treated me, but especially in how he treated my Mother. There was no greater love in this world then the love between my Mom and my Dad. My parents showed me what true love looks like and how precious it is. To both of them I say “Thank you”!

I am also grateful to everyone here and everyone who has shown such wonderful love and support to my mother and me. It is because of this that I know that as hard as it is going to be, my mother and I will be able to continue to live life. Although life will be VERY DIFFICULT to live for a while, we must live on, as that is what my father would want us to do.

I will do so by keeping the memories of the lessons he taught me and precious moments spent with him, the sound of his laughter (for which, I called him Chuckles), and the vision of his big, beautiful smile in my mind’s eye. I ask that you keep your own wonderful memories of your time spent with him forever in your own mind’s eye, which will in turn, keep him always alive in our hearts, forever.

To my Dear Loving Daddio, I say nightie-night, your little girl loves you, always.