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Olga Monita Gomez 28 April 1928 - 25 April 2015 In the loving embrace of her family, Olga Monita Gomez passed away peacefully on April 25, just three days shy of her 87th birthday. Although she was born in San Antonio, Olga spent a good portion of her childhood enjoying life on her grandfather's ranch in Allende, Coahuila, Mexico. Returning to San Antonio as a young woman, Olga lived with a cousin and got a job at Grayson's Department Store downtown, where she learned English and American money on the job. On a blind date at a USO dance, Olga met a handsome soldier named Adalberto Gomez, a trombone player assigned to the Army Band at Ft. Sam Houston. They were married at San Fernando Cathedral on September 16, 1951. Olga proudly served as an Army Wife for twenty years, having daughters Linda and Mary Madalyn at Ft. Sam Houston, son Al Jr. at Ft. Chafee, Arkansas, and daughter Alice at Ft. Richardson, Alaska. Olga took advantage of classes offered to Army wives, learning hat-making, crocheting, cake decorating, and flower arranging. She even found time to sponsor a Brownie Troop. After her twenty years "in the service," Olga spent several years as a college "dorm mother" in her little house on Mariposa, supporting and encouraging her husband and four children as they collectively accumulated five Bachelors and four Masters degrees in music and music education. Even with her busy career as a Homemaker par excellence, Olga found time to earn certification as a hairdresser, exercise her green thumb, teach Spanish for Berlitz to teachers in the SAISD, tell fortunes as Madame Olga for PTA carnivals at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, and make tortillas and snacks for all the kids coming for "study" sessions at the house. She learned bass, played it in the family band, did the girls' hair, and sewed the band costumes. She also opened her arms and heart to foster Al's nephews when they needed a safe haven. In her "retirement," Olga took up oil painting and sang in the English Choir at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church and the the San Antonio College Estudiantina. For awhile, Olga was also the "ticketmaster" for Al Gomez Band dances at Hermann Sons Ballroom. In 1999, she was nominated and accepted as an Honorary Member to Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an honorary society of women educators. Olga enjoyed Assisted Living at Brookdale Senior Living, and she especially was happy for the Spurs' successful Drive for Five last year. The family is grateful for Christus Hospice and to Linda Villarreal and Ninfa Alba at Linda's TLC Personal Care Home for excellent and loving care during Olga's final months. Olga Monita Gomez was preceded in death by her parents Ignacio and Julia Ortegón Monita, and her brother Ignacio "Nacho" Monita and sister Eva Avalon. She is survived by Al Gómez Sr, her loving husband of sixtythree and a half years; her children Linda and Michael Richter, Madalyn and Dr. Michael Blanchett, Al Jr. and Jeanette Gomez, and Alice Gomez; and her grandchildren Adriel and Isabella Gomez, Nicole Blanchett and Joe Struble and her great grandson, Nathan Struble, her sister Zula and Richard Ollervidez, her brother Humberto Monita, her sister Lupe Cadena and family, and many nieces and nephews and friends.Mass for Olga M. Gomez will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, 1710 Clower, 78201 on Tuesday, May 5, at 11:00am. A reception in Jubilee Hall will immediately follow the mass and end with a procession to Ft. Sam Houston for those interested. Donations in memory of Olga M. Gomez can be made to Beta Chapter scholarship fund; 2006 Encino Valley, 78259 and the American Diabetes Association.

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Olga Monita Gomez

April 28, 1928 - April 25, 2015