Mary Irene Gamez

Our beautiful, smart and funny mom, Mary (Maria) Irene Gamez, age 87, passed peacefully in her home after many years of bravely facing FTD Dementia on November 1, 2024. Born on July 16, 1937 to Deluvina Jaramillo in Las Mesitas, Colorado, she spent her early years living in an adobe home with dirt floors. Her family moved to Denver, Colorado and while in elementary school ~ Maria soon became Mary Irene.

Our mother attended her much loved Saint Joseph High School. There she excelled as a student; she was engaged in the student council, and handily played clarinet in the marching band. While in her senior year, she met and married our father, Robert Clyde Gamez and dedicated herself as a full-time mother. After over a decade, our parents divorced. Not deterred, she quickly pressed on to earn her GED, while diligently working several jobs simultaneously. Shortly thereafter, she achieved a full-time position with Western Electric as a computer analyst. Early on, she became very involved and successful with bringing a union into the company! She was a joyful and happy friend to all her workmates - always ready with a smile and with lending a hand.

In 1977, her eldest son, Darrell became physically paralyzed and was comatose for over a decade due to a car accident. Through all the heartbreak, she never wavered in her care for her beloved son. With sadness in life comes the greatest gifts of all. By the grace of God, Darrell’s legacy was to bring what she longed for all her life - a grandchild!!! The joy that her Kelly brought her, filled her heart with profound happiness! Kelly was the gift that continued to provide life’s magic! Imagine how our mom felt to now be a great grandmother!!! Tristan was the apple of our mother’s eye. Spending time with them over the years, watching them grow up to be kind, smart and remarkable adults was our mother’s soaring pinnacle of life!

After our mom retired from the now named, Alcatel Lucent, she utilized her Spanish speaking skills to assist teachers with second language learners for Denver Public Schools. Her students still fondly remember her to this day and say that she was “their favorite teacher”.

A gifted artist, cartoon illustrator and creator, our mom would hand make our costumes, draw window decorations and later in life have her own clothing and jewelry booth in Thornton named, Miggy’s. Many friends still cherish her hand painted and embellished attire, pins, and earrings.

She loved her pets dearly. Butchie, her silly lab and Maui her kitty cat, would be dressed up in costumes and were known to do lil’ jigs with her. Twirling the night away with friends and family also brought such big smiles to the dance floor for all. She was the best dancer ever!

It didn’t matter if it was a lake, canal or river, our mother had a passion for fishing. She enjoyed catching and cooking her winnings. She also immensely enjoyed “going up the hill”, to try her luck in Black Hawk!

As an avid traveler with friends and solo, our mom loved both coasts, the mountains, and her cruises. Cape Cod and Paris were come true wishes checked off her bucket list. We won’t forget how on the shores of Cape Cod, she found a rather large dead horseshoe crab. She wrapped it up and proceeded to stink up our hotel room, as well as the plane ride back to Denver! She was adamant on bringing this special, “show and tell” back to her students for the educational value. Her favorite part of her overseas trip was Monet’s Gardens and of course, the French pastries! She loved her sweets and always kept a stash of Kit Kats, and Ferraro Roche chocolates. The bank tellers always knew that when she arrived, they were benefactors of her sweet tooth!

Even though our mother endured more than her fair share of tragedies throughout her life, she would always, “walk on the sunny side of the street.” Gratitude, resilience, bravery and grace are attributes that describe her to a tee. She will lovingly be carried in our hearts forever. Her positive impact on her family and friends have served us all to be better people.

Mary Irene (Jaramillo) Gamez is survived by her daughters, Janet Cheryl Gamez, Sandra Mobley; her son, Robert Trenton Gamez (Dorothy); granddaughter, Kelly Taschner, great grandson, Tristan Quintana; siblings, Marcello Cabus Jr., Nancy Werle. Preceded in death by her mother, Deluvina (Jaramillo) Cabus; and son, John Darrell Gamez. She leaves behind many loved friends, and extended family. A special note of gratitude is extended to caregivers, Aurora Lopez, and Mikaila Crespin.

The family warmly invites you to a funeral service by celebrant, Bishop Jorge Rodriguez Ph.D. at Saint Joseph’s Church, 600 Galapago Street at 11:00 am on Friday, June 6, 2025. Celebration of life reception to follow at the same location downstairs.

In lieu of flowers ~ a donation to the building fund of St. Joseph Church would be kindly appreciated by our family. Mary Irene deeply loved her school. She was proud to be a St. Joe Bulldog! St. Joe’s is a true keepsake Denver landmark. It is very old and in need of repair. We truly hope to see its doors open to all for the next hundred years~

Thank you~

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