Lee Gomes

Lee Brice Gomes
June 8, 1953 to September 17, 2021
Lee Brice Gomes died peacefully at his beloved Bernal Heights home on September 17, 2021. He was 68 years old.

Born and raised in Kailua, Hawaii. Lee began his education at St. Anthony's School in Kailua, then graduated from St. Louis High School in Honolulu. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii and his master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Thereafter, he landed his first journalism job at his hometown newspaper, The Honolulu Star Bulletin.

In the late 1980s, he moved to San Francisco, which he immediately declared his true home. After a brief stint as a freelancer, he became a business reporter at the Oakland Tribune, then moved to The San Jose Mercury News, where he began his focus on the burgeoning technology industry as it exploded from a niche curiosity to a global sensation.

Lee's unique insight as a technology journalist gave him an iconoclast's perspective on the glossy narratives gushing out of the Silicon Valley dream factory Throughout his career, Lee used his graceful prose tinged with his dry wit to cast a skeptical eye on the change-the-world hyperbole that propelled the rise of so many high-tech ventures.

His talent for seeing through such superficial scenery to focus on the untold story caught the eye of some of the nation's most prestigious business publications, leading to coveted roles at the Wall Street Journal where he was hired as a Silicon Valley beat writer and then awarded a weekly column. He was ultimately wooed away by Forbes Magazine, where he was a featured columnist for many years.

Always the food lover, Lee was a passionate chef and avid baker who immersed himself in the literature of the kitchen, assembling an extensive library of cookbooks. He took great pride in sharing his creations with fortunate family and friends gathered around his table, as well as surprising his colleagues by bringing freshly prepared treats to the office.

He was a student of the esoteric who followed every interest to the point of obsession, from the cultural currency of the French language to the intricacies of pastry preparation.

He had a particular devotion to cats, sharing his home over the years with a succession of four: Hana, Kuka, Puppy & Queenie.

Throughout his life, he cultivated a wide circle of friends, who became a cherished source of support following his diagnosis with throat cancer.

Predeceased by his mother, Gwendolyn, he is survived by his sister Sandra of Sacramento, California; his father, John A. Gomes; brothers Scott, Jon, Joseph and sister Gwenette; sisters-in-law Janet, Pam, and Laura; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews most all of whom live in Hawaii. He will be missed by all.