Veda was born the second child of nine in Oklahoma to Joe C. and Bennie Mae Leal Gomez in 1935. Her husband of 55 years Mel passed away in 2014.  She is survived by her children Michael Royce of Poway, Kathryn Royce of Poway and Therese Donnerbauer (Brian) of El Mirage, AZ.  Her grandchildren are Kyle Donnerbauer (Amanda) and Kara Livermore (Kevin).  Her great grandchildren include Isla Donnerbauer, Isacc, and Jayden Livermore.

Veda's brothers Paul, Joe Lee, Johnny, Manuel, and her sister Josephine Marie have already passed.   Her brother Benjamin Gomez lives with his wife Sharon in Hawaii.  Her brother Ernest and his wife Sharon live in Oklahoma.  Her sister Virginia Bates (widow of Dee) lives in Kansas.

In 1958, Veda joined U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed in California where she met the love of her life Mel.  They were married at St. Francis Xavier in San Francisco on August 22, 1959. Veda received an honorable discharge from the Marines Sept. 8, 1959.  A year later, their first child Therese was born in Oceanside, CA followed by Kathryn the next year in Anadarko, OK and finally Michael arrived in 1963 in Long Beach, CA.   Veda kept the family nurtured while Mel fought in Vietnam.  Eventually Mel retired from the Marines. They lived in Barstow, then Fallbrook.  In 1972, the family settled in Poway, CA  where Mel worked for the Post Office.

When St. Gabriel opened in 1973, Veda became a very active parishioner.  Veda was very humbled that she was one of the first women to be asked by the bishop to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist.  This was close to her heart and she even headed the ministry for St. Gabriel for a while.  She was a sacristan, a religious education teacher, Msgr. Dollen's house keeper, secretary for Fr. Jay Brady, Bingo helper, donut coordinator and the money counter for the parish.

Veda and her good friend Jean Hennessy loved to travel to Vegas to see concerts together and attend mega bingo events.

Words to describe Veda are loving, Catholic, Proud Marine Veteran, kind, genuine, volunteer, tough, generous, responsible, trustworthy, mother, wife, grandmother, and great grandmother.  She loved people and talking with them brought her joy.  After God and family, Bingo and the Padres were her passions.