Esther Pauline Gomez

Esther Pauline Gomez was born March 10, 1930 in Detroit, Michigan to John S. Laughon (pronounced lawn) and Pauline Nunez. Esther considered herself Irish Mexican, as her father was born in Mexico and her Irish American mother hailed from Victoria, Texas. She was the fifth of eight children in a family of four boys and four girls.
During the Great Depression, the family traveled the country to wherever work was available, finally settling in California in 1939. Esther, a typically creative and imaginative Pisces, met Ray Gomez in elementary school, when they were both nine years old. The high school sweethearts ended up marrying in May of 1951.
Esther did work a few jobs in retail but mostly considered herself a homemaker. Their first family home in El Monte is where they welcomed the birth of son Kip in 1954, followed by Steve in 1957 – then moving to a home on 10th Street in Arcadia in 1962 before their legendary "trip to Kmart" in 1966 to receive daughter Laura.
Soon after, Ray and Esther bought a cabin in California's High Desert on Cholla Road in Johnson Valley. Here, the family spent weekends enjoying the quiet, or riding dirt bikes, playing horseshoes and campfires at night with stories and singing by family and friends.
In 1983, Ray, Esther and Laura moved to 725 Magnolia St. in Monrovia. In 1989, Ray and Esther moved to Palm Springs to their retirement dream home. Tragically, when Ray died February 28, 1991 from pancreatic cancer, Esther moved back to Arcadia and a few years later moved to the current home in Monrovia.
She enjoyed many years in the company of her friends from the Monrovia and Duarte Senior Centers and also volunteered for many local activities and events.
Esther, who made it to the age of 92, had only begun hospice the week prior and died at home on August 27, 2022. She is survived by son Kip J. Gomez and daughter-in-law Judy, granddaughters Kristin, Allison and Jillian; great granddaughters Ella and Zoe; son Steve Gomez and daughter-in-law Kathy; and daughter Laura Gomez.
Arrangements are under the direction of Douglass & Zook Funeral and Cremation Services, Monrovia, California.