Helen Patricia Gomez

Helen Patricia Gomez was born on March 25,1946 in Ely, Nevada to parents Isidro Gomez and Ventura Apodaca, both of Chaperito, New Mexico. Her father was in the copper industry and Ventura was a homemaker. She was the youngest of eight children and the only girl. Helen attended Brown Elementary School in North Denver and graduated from North High School in1964, then attended Emily Griffith Opportunity School and became a secretary. She married Richard Lee Hurlburt and their daughter, Lorain Lee, was born in 1970. Helen and her second husband, Daniel Howard Leyba, welcomed their daughter, Dana Lynne, in 1972. Helen was a devout Christian for the majority of her adulthood and enjoyed attending church and the fellowship that it brought to her life. She developed many close friendships during this time. Most recently, she was attending Eternal Life Fellowship in Denver. It was a rare day that Helen didn’t have a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. She was a science fiction lover and Star Trek was at the top of her list. She loved life and especially enjoyed camping and fishing in the great outdoors. Church camping trips wouldn’t have been the same without her. She loved the determined spirit of the character Dory from the movie “Finding Nemo” so when things went wrong for her family she would tell them to “just keep swimming!” Helen lost her long battle with cancer on April 27, 2016. She adored her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren and they were all with her when she passed into eternity. She was dearly loved and will be sorely missed. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers, and her former husband, Daniel Leyba. She leaves behind daughters Lorain Pillar (Patrick) and Dana Leyba and stepson Eric Grigg; grandchildren Rachel Apodaca (Micah), Zoe Trujillo-Pillar, Daniel Leyba, Hannah Leyba, and Madison Leyba; great grandchildren William, Leilani, Gianna, and Nalayah Apodaca; brothers Isidro and Paul Gomez; and numerous nieces and nephews. Please join us in celebrating Helen’s life on Monday, May 2, at 11:00 a.m. at Radiance Church located at 8301 Rosemary Street, Commerce City, Colorado 80022. (Please note that flowers can only be delivered to church after 9 a.m. on Monday.) A reception will follow at the same location.