Henry Galván Gómez

July 1, 1924 - July 27, 2021

Henry Galván Gómez, 5th child of Demetrio Gómez Gómez and Catalina Galván Gómez, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully at his home in San Francisco, surrounded by the love of his sons, daughter, and caregivers.

Henry, or Hank as he was known by his friends, was born a first generation American in San Bernardino, CA. A lifelong visual artist, he graduated in 1949 from the University of California, Berkeley with a BA in architecture. He worked as an architectural draftsman for the Chevron Corporation for 35 years, retiring in 1988.

Henry served during WW II from 1943-45 in the Army Air Force and was stationed in Scotland as an airline mechanic. He was one lucky person. After going through basic training, he received his commission based partly on his tennis skills. A senior officer wanted him to represent his squadron after seeing him play. Henry continued playing tennis well into his 80s. Almost all his brothers and sisters served in the military, and his mother was a Gold Star mother, having lost one son in the Pacific campaign.

Henry’s luckiest event was meeting Phyllis Williams. She was in the cadet nurses’ program at UC Berkeley with Henry’s sister Sarah who introduced them. Phyllis and Henry (or Enrique, Riqui, or Rick as she called him) married in 1950. After residing briefly in Tracy, CA, they moved to San Francisco in 1953 where they raised their family with love and care. While working at Chevron, Hank organized countless sports tournaments. He connected with the community through volunteering and fundraising in these groups: board member of YMCA Camp Jones Gulch for 45 years, PTA, Ocean View-Merced Heights-Ingleside Neighborhood Association, the AIDS Memorial Grove, Kiwanis International, and Sons In Retirement. Henry also compiled newsletters and programs for many of these organizations. He was proud to participate in the Life After 90 study through UC Davis/Kaiser.

Henry’s love of singing and playing guitar extended to every corner of his life. He sang at senior homes with his family and joined the Chevron Blenders. He joined the SF Cable Car Chorus in 1978 and remained an active member for the rest of his life. As a member of the SFCCC and The Four Sons Quartet, he sang the Anthem for Giants’ games from 2002-2016.

Henry was once asked what he most enjoyed doing. “Whatever I am doing at the moment,” he replied. Everyone who knew him felt his joy in living, and he would want us to remain in that spirit when we remember him. Henry is preceded in death by his brothers Manuel, Rodolfo, Salvador, Roberto, his sisters Sarah and Amalia, his wife Phyllis, and his son Michael. He is survived by his brother Albert and his sister Anita, his sons Gregory, Robert, John, his daughter Claudia, and four grandchildren.

A memorial service is being planned for September 4th, 2021, at St. Marks Lutheran Church in San Francisco. If you are interested in attending, please leave a message at solresolgomez@ mindspring.com and we will send you an invitation through Eventbrite. The service will be live streamed on the StMarks-SF YouTube site. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Henry’s favorite charity, YMCA Camp Jones Gulch or the SF AIDS Foundation https://www.sfaf.org. Remembrances including pictures and videos can be shared at SFColumbarium. com under Henry’s name.