Mar Vista Alum, Air Force Veteran Felix Gomez, 1940-2011

As a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Felix Gomez lived all over the country and abroad before finally settling in Moreno Valley, CA. 

Although Moreno Valley was his family's home for the last 26 years, the 1959 Mar Vista High School graduate didn't forget Imperial Beach.

“He has been back [to Imperial Beach] several times. He still has some friends he keeps in touch with. One friend I know for sure that he went to high school with that he kept in touch with still lives down there,” said his son Darryl Gomez.

Two years ago, the Mar Vista alum came back to Imperial Beach to attend his 50th high school reunion. Darryl said the reunion was very sentimental for his father as he was able to revisit a lot of the friends he knew from high school.

After graduating from Mar Vista, Gomez left Imperial Beach and enlisted in the Air Force and was first stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base.  

Darryl said Gomez was one of the first in his family to join the military. His son would follow in his father’s footsteps and join the Navy. Darryl said with him being in the Navy and Gomez in the Air Force there was plenty of teasing between the two.

The last rank Gomez held in the Air Force was that of tech sergeant, and his duties included vehicle repair and maintenance. He also worked on heavy equipment and around aircraft.

Darryl said the military had a lot to do with his father’s parenting skills.

“He had five kids and none of us really did get into any trouble. He was very strict, taught us manners, how to be respectful. He provided,” Darryl Gomez said. He counts traveling the world with his father among some of the greatest moments of his life.

“He did an excellent job educating us on the world. Every time we traveled he took us places to see things and then we got educated wherever we were at," he said.

Though his father could be strict, he was also known best for his one-liners. One in particular stood out to Darryl in his father's last days.

“He could barely eat or drink anything but what he craved the last 10 days was beer. And he really didn’t drink beer, which made it more funny, but he would raise his beer and say, ‘I’m going out in style.’ ”

In his spare time Gomez was an avid reader. His favorite genres were history and World War II. He also enjoyed reading about Hitler and recently started getting into Egyptology.

Gomez also enjoyed photography. Since the mid-1960s Gomez would take photos of all the places he traveled. His collection of photos spans into the thousands.

Felix Gomez was born May 27, 1940, in Guasti, CA, and passed away on July 11, 2011, in his Moreno Valley home after a two-year battle with cancer.

Gomez is survived by his wife of 45 years, Maria Gomez, and their five children.