Bertha Gomez

Bertha Gomez, age 94, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2026, surrounded by her family.

Born on October 1, 1931, in Medellín, Colombia, Bertha was the fifth oldest of 21 children. From a young age she worked in a fabric factory to help support her family, demonstrating a quiet selflessness that remained a hallmark of her character throughout her life.

In 1973 she moved to the United States in search of greater opportunity for her loved ones. She first settled in Lowell, Massachusetts, before making her home in Great Neck, New York, where she lived for more than fifty years.

Bertha was a loving mother, devoted sister, aunt, and grandmother who served as a steady, grounding presence for her family amid life’s changes. She found simple joys in watching Telemundo, enjoying meals at IHOP and Burger King, savoring chicharrón, and taking long walks, yet her deepest devotion was always to her family and her faith. She is survived by her children, Beatriz Carfagno and Byron Gomez, their spouses Thomas Carfagno and Olga Gomez, her five grandchildren Michelle Carfagno, Melissa Carfagno, Daniel Carfagno, Ricky Gomez, and Byron Scott Gomez, and her great-grandchild Gianna Balderrama-Gomez. She is also survived by her sisters Amparo Palacio and Luz Elena Quiroz and her brothers Jairo Quiroz, Fernando Quiroz, and Jesus Maria Quiroz.