Funeral service for Joseph G. Gomez, 82, of Silvis, IL, will be 10:00AM Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Silvis, IL. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline, IL. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00PM Friday at the Van Hoe Funeral Home Ltd., East Moline, where a rosary will be recited at 3:30PM. Mr. Gomez died Monday, September 22, 2014 at Clarissa Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, IA. Joe was born November 22, 1931, in the family home on Hero Street, Silvis, IL, the son of Paul and Ruby Castro Gomez. He married Mary Beserra January 3, 1959, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, East Moline. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserves, U.S.Air Force, and ended his career in the U.S. Army, retiring at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina as a Chief Warrant Officer on September 1970. Joe had served during the Korean War and had been highly decorated. After leaving Ft. Bragg, Joe sold cars at several local dealerships for a time, before ending up at the Rock Island Arsenal, where he retired in 1993. He was organizer and first President of the Quad Cities Chapter 168 of the Korean War Veterans Association (KWVA). He was also Past 8th District Commander Department of Illinois, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Past Commander, Rock Island County Council, Department of Illinois, VFW and Past Commander of VFW Post 8890, East Moline, IL, attaining All State Post Commander recognition for the 1990-91 term. He was a Life Member of the VFW, KWVA, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Quad Cities Chapter and Viet Nam Veterans of America, Quad Cities Chapter 299, Rock Island, IL. Joe also served on former Silvis Mayor Lyle Lohse's Hero Street Park Task Force Committee and Silvis Pride Recognition Committee. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Mary Gomez, Silvis; daughter, Andrea (Manuel) González, Silvis, IL; sons, Edward Gomez, Silvis, Louis Gomez, Chicago, and Gilbert (Quindalyn) Gomez, La Jolla, CA; grandchildren, Angelique (Michael) Forney, Olivia, Raquel, Jereme, and Elisabeth, González; sisters, Mercedes (Frank) Segura, Silvis, Susan (Pete) Ortiz, East Moline, Rose (Lyle) Baeza, Sterling, IL, brothers, Paul (Linda) Gomez. East Moline, and Jim (Coleen) Gomez, Hampton, IL; brother-in-law, Ron Raymond, Silvis. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Virginia Raymond. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or for masses. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vanhoe.com

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