Matilde Smith-Gomez

Surrounded by her loving family, Mattie (Matilde) Smith-Gomez peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 25, 2012. Mattie fought her battle with cancer as she did everything in her life by giving it her best effort and dealing with it one day at a time.

Mattie was born on November 29, 1953 and was the seventh of nine children born to Andrew and Gloria Smith. Mattie was the organizer in the family and always loved getting them together. Mattie loved life and most of all, she loved people. She gave of her many talents freely and unconditionally. Mattie lived a life of service to her husband, family, friends, and community. In fact, Mattie never met a stranger as she made people feel important and worthy. She had a winning smile that cheered any person up. Mattie had a tremendous heart, a generous spirit, and a dynamic personality. Mattie had a heart of gold and was a woman of her word. She was always punctual where ever she had to be. She accomplished many of her goals and got to travel on cruises and abroad to Europe.

Mattie was a licensed social worker and was very passionate about her work with victims of domestic violence. She was a Domestic Violence Counselor with the Domestic Violence Unit of the Webb County District Attorney's Office. She was a board member of Casa Misericordia and a member of the Domestic Violence Coalition. For 15 years, she helped coordinate the Annual Domestic Violence Conference which brought national speakers and trainers to help professionals better understand the dynamics of Domestic Violence. Countless of victims walked through her doors and they were never the same again, for Mattie touched their hearts with hope and faith, and more importantly, with the courage to leave their abusers.

Her family is so grateful for all the many loyal friends who were there for her; she looked forward to your calls and visits. The family would like to thank her co-worker whom she called her "little brother," Albert Perez. The family expresses their gratitude to her physicians, Dr. Gary Unzeitig, Dr. Eduardo Miranda, and Dr. Jose R. Garca. The family appreciates the care extended by the nursing staff of Doctors Hospital and Laredo Specialty Hospital. The family is thankful to Msgr. James Harris for his hospital visits with Mattie as well as appreciates the support and prayers offered by Sr. Rosemary Welsh.

Mattie was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew E. Smith and Gloria Rendon Smith and her sister, Mary Beatrice Roman.

Mattie is survived by her beloved husband, Ambrosio Gomez, Jr.; brothers, Andrew (Idolina) Smith, Henry (Mary Elvira) Smith and Chester (Julieta) Smith; sisters, Gloria Smith (Bob) Jamison, Josephine (Sergio) Vega, Mary J (Martin) Helfrich and Ruby S. (Roberto) Gonzalez; brothers-in-law, John (Mary "") Roman and Daniel (Mara) Gomez; sisters-in-law, Mary (Fred) Monks, Olga (Ricardo) Salinas and Linda (Rogelio) Ramrez; aunt, Josephine Rendon Ruiz; mother-in-law, Elvira R. Gomez; and step-children, Edward Gomez, Ambrosio (Amy) Gomez, Gilbert Gomez and Lorraine Gomez. She is also survived by six grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Casa Misericordia, 1000 Mier St., Laredo, Texas 78040 (956)712-9591.