John Gamez, 96, of Arlington, passed away peacefully on February 24th 2023. Beloved husband to Maria (Zafferano) Gamez. Loving father to John J. Gamez of Arlington, Robert Gamez and his wife Christine of Burlington and Susanna Thomas and her husband Frederick of Pepperell. Cherished grandfather to Samantha Rose, Nicole Gamez, Matthew Thomas, Briana Thomas and the late John E. Gamez. Dear great grandfather to Savannah, Elijah, Coda, Freya and Caleb.

John was born on June 10th 1926 to John and Ana Gamez (Cuevas Sanchez). He was raised in Malaga Spain with his 3 brothers and 1 sister. John came to the U.S. in the 1950s after serving in the Spanish Navy. He was very proud of his Spanish heritage but his proudest moment was when he became a U.S. Citizen.

John married Maria on October 28th 1956, most recently celebrating 66 years of marriage. After some years spent in Cambridge and Somerville, they eventually ended up in Arlington where they raised their three children John, Robert and Susanna together. John remained in Arlington until the day he died.

John worked as a chef at many restaurants throughout his career before retiring from the Newtowne Grill in Cambridge in the 1990s. John always loved cooking and had a wonderful garden at their Teel Street home. His love language was food, and this was evident any time you went to visit his home as you would be forced to eat a full meal even if you had just eaten. His paella (also referred to as his Spanish rice) was a staple at all family parties and his pastina could soothe any upset stomach or restless child. John liked sports but specifically enjoyed watching the Celtics, futbol and boxing. He could often be found in a hawaiian collared shirt with a comb in his pocket and a smile on his face. Even though he was a man of few words he often had many funny things to say (that were often hard to understand through his thick Spanish accent that he never lost). Before his mobility became an issue, his favorite place to sleep was on the floor and he would often be found there taking naps. He enjoyed time spent at Revere Beach and many trips to Florida with family. He had great dance moves whether he was doing the macarena at home with the grandkids or on the dance floor at a wedding

There was nothing he loved more than his family. He spent a lot of time babysitting and helping raise all of his grandchildren when they were young and was lucky he got to live so close to them for many years. John also had five great-grandchildren that he adored. Watching him in the role of great-grandfather was truly wonderful over the last 9 years of his life. He was a proud man and always spoke about his family whenever he could. He loved being surrounded by family and friends, and he will be deeply missed.

Funeral services are private under the care of the DeVito Funeral Home of Arlington. Please visit devitofuneralhomes.com to leave an online condolence.

A memorial luncheon will be held. Please reach out to a family member for further information.