SAN BENITO — Rosa Gomez was a lifelong volunteer who will be missed in the community by many.
Gomez passed away Tuesday morning.
She was 74.
Gomez was a longtime parent volunteer with the San Benito CISD Parental Involvement Department.
For more than 30 years, Gomez contributed many hours of service to the San Benito community through her work with the San Benito CISD Parental Involvement Department, campus PTA/PTO organizations and the San Benito Greyhound Band Boosters.
The Parent Involvement Department will miss one of their best and dedicated volunteers.
We especially feel her great loss as she is also the mother of one of its own staff members, according to the Parent Involvement Department.
Gomez is the mother to Parent Educator Ben Gomez and she is also the daughter of another longtime parent volunteer – Juanita Gaytan.
“She will forever be remembered as a champion of San Benito CISD students and a great community volunteer,” the department stated.
“We will miss her gracious smile, her caring heart, and her signature greeting that she had for everyone on a daily basis – “How are you on this beautiful day?”
She was also a member of the San Benito Quarterback Club, San Benito CISD Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Title I Parental Advisory Committee, and many other decision making committees within the district.
Because of her dedication to her community, the Valley Morning Star interviewed her last month and featured her as one of the many volunteers in a special section focusing on local volunteers.
At that time she said her passion for volunteering came from her need to be informed about what was going on in the district.
It was also about setting a good example for her children.
“It’s good to know what’s going on,” she said last month via phone. “I believe if you are there and your children know that you are there, then they know you are putting their best interest first.”
Gomez was a single parent who raised six children and she always wanted her children to know they had a mother who is was there to support them.
“Being involved also educated me, not only to be a better person but to be a better parent,” she said.
That was the most important thing for Gomez.
After she retired 30 years ago, Gomez was able to spend more time volunteering, attending parenting sessions, being a part of committees and going to conferences.
“I have had a beautiful life. I’ve been involved. A lot of people know me and that makes me proud,” she said.
Being a seasoned volunteer within the district gave Gomez the opportunity to encourage and talk to young parents about the importance of being involved with their children’s schooling.
“Every chance I get I will throw in my two cents,” she said. “I tell them about my experience and the results and I tell them, you need to get involved with your children.”
As a single parent who also worked full time, Gomez said her children were her number one priority.
“Children need to know that they are important and they need to know that they come first,” she said.
During Tuesday evening city meeting, Mayor Celeste Sanchez asked that the commission and guests take a moment of silence to honor Gomez.
“She was in our citizen’s academy,” she said. “She was full of life, vibrant and asked a lot of questions.”
Family friends Deborah and Jose Morales want the public to know what a wonderful human being Gomez was.
The Morales’ who met Gomez through the parental involvement department, said Gomez was an inspiration to everyone she met.
“She touched a lot of peoples lives. Her smile would light up the room,” they said.
Jose said he will miss her smile.
“She was very giving and always doing the right thing,” he said.
Deborah thanks the family.
“Thank you for sharing her with the community.”
