Sonny passed from this life on April 12, 2009, at age 70. His two and a half year battle with prostate cancer ended when he passed quietly, surrounded by his loving family, and in the arms of his adoring wife.
Survived by his wife Jacqueline, Morgan Hill, sons Stephen Gomes, his wife Elyse, San Jose, and Todd Gomes, his wife Mirka, Morgan Hill; grandchildren Tyler, Tara, Sophia and Eva Gomes; step-grandchildren Kaitlyn and Zachary Langford; borrowed granddaughter, Dominique Allen, dearest friend, cousin and caregiver Roselyn Nunes; siblings Kathleen Engelhardt and her husband Steve, Deolinda Overfelt, Bernadette Gomes, David Gomes and his wife Janice; Numerous cousins, nephews and nieces. Sonny was preceded in death by his parents Manuel and Mary Gomes, siblings Joseph and Rosemarie.
Raised in Santa Clara, he moved to Hollister with his family in 1954, where he met the love of his life, Jacqueline “Jacque” Louise Latapie. Sonny and Jacque were married in 1960, and established MM Gomes and Son Dairy in Morgan Hill. In the following years Sonny went on to be the president of the Central Coast Counties Dairy Herd Improvement Association, was a director of the Producers Market Milk Association, and the League of California Milk Producers. Sonny also continued his active involvement with the family orchard on Pacheco Pass. He was a founding investor and board member of the Valley World, a regional newspaper that championed conservative views.
Sonny retired from the dairy business in 1988 and went on to start Morgan Hill Cattle Company. He and Jacque moved off of the dairy to a property in the Llagas Valley that had a barn and “lots of potential!” His passion for perfection and continuously improving everything kept him perpetually busy, and his work was never done. He was usually found in his well-outfitted workshop, inventing or fabricating, and loved an engineering challenge. He was well respected for his strong work ethic, straight talk, and indescribable, endless talents. Sonny had a big heart and was always there to help friends and family. We will forever miss his incredible sense of humor and strong presence.
A memorial service for Sonny will be held Sunday, April 19, at 2:00 .P.M at the family home. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated today, Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 3:00 P.M. at St. Catherine Parish, 17400 Peak Avenue in Morgan Hill, CA.
