Carmen Gomez

Carmen (Carmela) Gomez, 91, passed away June 19, 2022. Carmela was born in Manicaragua, Cuba, in 1931, the daughter of Rosa Diaz del Valle and Manuel Asorey Costoya. Her father immigrated to Cuba from Spain as a young man, instilling in Carmela pride in her Galician heritage and a love for its traditional music. After losing her father at the age of seven, she was raised by her 23-year-old mother and aunts. Carmela was very close with her two brothers and two sisters, all deceased now. Thanks to a scholarship from the Cuban government, she began her studies as a Home Economics teacher in Escuela del Hogar Rural de Santa Clara.

She married Lutgardo (Lugo) Gomez in 1948 and lived in Manicaragua until 1952, when she moved to Ranchuelo, Las Villas, the beautiful small town she loved, and where she raised her two daughters. She left Cuba in 1968 with her girls and lived in Madrid, Spain, until she was able to reunite with her husband in 1972. They moved to the United States in 1974 and lived in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, finally arriving in Tampa in 1985, where she worked as assistant manager in their daughter and son-in-law's medical office for 30 years. She was a very efficient and enthusiastic worker, and her help was invaluable.

She participated in multiple religious and civic organizations, among them the Cuban Civic Club and the Club 15. A devout Catholic, she was active in the congregations of both St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's, serving as a Eucharistic Minister for several years. She was known for her kind and compassionate spirit, and friends were drawn to her liveliness and humor. She always saved the best of everything for everyone else.

Carmela was an avid reader, gardener, cook, and knitter. She had a passion for traveling, and visited her family in Spain annually. She loved watching the sun set, particularly on the beaches of Anna Maria Island, where she enjoyed many large family reunions. She was a master of Machuca, and taught this card game to all of her seven grandchildren.

Carmela is preceded in death by her loving husband of 61 years, Lugo.

She is survived by her daughters Dr. Maria Rosario (Dr. Francisco) Gomez and Dr. Carmen (Ignacio Sanguesa) Gomez-Asorey; grandchildren Cristina (Jim Barron), Francisco (Francesca Valente), Carlos (Chelsea Lisk), Daniel (Victoria Douma), Guillermo (Tamara Rodriguez), Javier (Sara Cerrada), and Clara (Rodrigo Alvarez); great-grandchildren Sienna, Kyla, Scarlett, Blanca, Gabriel, Sofia, Ana, Isabel, Maria, and Alejandro; her sister-in-law Nereida Asorey; her niece Rosa Maria Dominguez, and her son Luis; as well as other extended family and friends.

The family wants to express their eternal gratitude to Ramon and Myriam Chang and their staff who provided loving care during her last year of life and also to LifePath Hospice, their volunteers, and very especially to nurse Nelsy Barrachina who was extremely compassionate and attentive during all this time.

Donations can be made to The Tomorrow Fund for children with cancer (Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI). Flowers can be sent to Gonzalez Funeral Home.