Born 1942

Judith Ann Gomez was born in 1942 in Fall River, MA, at Union Hospital. Her parents were Lewis Elton Waite and Emma Perry Waite.  She had four siblings, Lewis, Barbra, her twin, Rochelle and Jimmy. She’s the third oldest. Her ancestors are from Tiverton and Little Compton and have been in this area for 300 years.  Her childhood was pretty simple, and she loved being with her family and friends all the time. She lived in a  house on The Commons, next to Saint Catherine’s Church.  Back then houses didn’t have numbers on them to tell where your house was. She pretty much stayed in one place except the fact when she was about a few months old when she moved from Tiverton to Little Compton. Her fondest childhood memories were playing with the kids around town, and other things like softball and basketball in the churchyard. 

For elementary school, she went to Josephine Wilbur School and also middle school and high school as well, Katherine B. McMahon was her principal.  She did not go to college. She did not have enough money.

One of her biggest influences in her life was Donald Gomez, who is my grandfather, because he taught her never to give up and be who you are and don’t let anybody tell you different. They may not be the perfect couple but they’re happy and that’s what matters. She met my grandfather in elementary school and started dating in sixth grade. They later fell in love and married and had two children Holly, 51 and Heather, 48.  Heather is my mom.  Judy’s job was a home health aide, which is a CNA and when she was younger she used to babysit. She would always take care of people who couldn’t always take care of themselves, one of which was Caleb’s neighbor. Today, she likes to read, do puzzles and play cards with her grandchildren and friends. One of her hobbies and interests is going for walks on the beach and doing cross stitch. She hasn’t been able to go to the beach in a while due to the Coronavirus.

The best thing that ever happened was her children and her grandchildren.  Her grandchildren are, my brothers and my two cousins Ben and Danielle, we all  live right next to her like a triangle. She doesn’t want to do anything more. She loves everything she does now and she loves what she has.  She’s proud of her two children and her 6  grandchildren. Her favorite part about her grandchildren is all their different personalities. 

Here are some fun facts and little things that happened to my grandmother along the years, from when she was young until today (she’s now 77).  

The home health aide she worked at was called the Nancy Brayton Osborne visiting nurse Center. She helped Mr. Lambert learn how to do a lot when he lost his arm in his boat accident. The reason my grandmother helped him was because she had lived her whole life with one arm.

One fun fact that isn’t so great is when her sister pushed her down a hill and cut her knee it got infected. She still has a scar.

When she was younger she used to watch American Bandstand with Dick Clark. People danced there. 

Before the CoronaVirus happened she got us on the bus about every single day.

She likes to wear costumes for holidays. My favorite one is the Easter Bunny.

We go to Falmouth Cape Cod every year and we love to play shuffleboard there.

She got  an award at the Rhode Island State House because she helped  a lady who was having a heart attack by notifying the nurse she was having a heart attack because of how she was breathing.

She loved to hang out with her friends and play softball with Miss Lumbrace, her advisor.

She danced with my grandfather at prom all four years.

She worked as a home health aide and was one of the first home aides in Little Compton, Rhode Island 

Based on an interview with Judith Gomez, April 2020

Written by: Kaylyn Aubuchon, Grade 5 – Wilbur & McMahon School

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