Rose P. Romero

Brandon’s Eulogy,

Thank you all for coming today. Looking out and seeing all of the beautiful souls who have gathered here today is not only a testament to how many lives she has touched but also to the depth of her character. Just to be in the presence of sooo many people that she loved and cherished would have most certainly put a smile upon her face. She loved family and friends. She loved when they gathered and she savored every moment.

If one thing is for certain about her it was her capacity for empathy and compassion for other people, tied together with her iron will. Her entire life was dedicated to helping people.  Her generosity knew no bounds. From volunteering at the homeless shelter, the soup kitchen, and the YMCA, to taking me to the hospital when i broke my arm on a slide at the park and making my favorite dish of sopita for me. 

Trying to encapsulate everything that she was, that she achieved and accomplished, and who she was to sooo many different people is near impossible. Her deeds too many and her legacy too grand.

So let me share with you the Rose Romero that I knew.  A kind, caring, compassionate, and sometimes ornery and mischievous woman. She was the embodiment of strength and resilience. 

When my cousins and i were little, she would bake Pizzellis for us to sell at the pueblo parade in our own little cookie stand.  She would spend days making these cookies and packing and stacking them up in her kitchen. We would all go out and set up our stand on the corner of the street and yell our little hearts out to sell the pizzelles to the people passing by. The money that we would make would be split evenly among the grandkids and it would be our summer money for the year.   70-100 bucks per kid back then was a lot of money. Grandpad would say “I don’t want anything to do with that.” Out of fear that we would get in trouble for selling food without a license. Grandma simply replied “They arent going to give tickets to kids.”  She taught us the value of hard work, by showing us. She taught us the value of working together and the joy of family, by bringing us together.

She had nick names for the grandkids. My sisters was Flaquita because she was always so skinny, and grandma was always trying to feed her and fatten her up. Mine was Pan Crudo or raw bread dough because i was so pale and looked more white than mexican.

Id stay at my grandparents house during the summers and from time to time we would go to the cabin.  Just me and my grandparents.  The absolute freedom i felt in just being in the mountains and the ability to go off and explore unsupervised was unfathomable at that age. It was a kids paradise. It was also the only time I was allowed to have coffee. Grandma would make it for me in the mornings and i would just sit there with them at the table watching the clouds roll through the mountains. Slowly sipping my coffee and eating my breakfast.  Ive yet to have better coffee.

When she got older it most certainly didn’t slow her down. By the time she parked the car she was already in the store while you were still removing your seatbelt. While many people bought her canes to help with the transition she refused to use them and would often say “I dont need that, i can do it myself!” So those canes would sit in a corner unused collecting dust. However there was one exception to this rule, and that was me. Whenever i was around she would say “Dame la mano!” Or give me your hand! And that was the only time she would allow help with no complaint.

When I moved back to Colorado my parents were gracious enough to let me stay with them until I could get back on my feet.  Grandma was down visiting and one morning when I came up to the kitchen, I could smell gas.  Turns out when my mom was cleaning the stove after breakfast, one of the knobs got turned and was leaking gas into the kitchen.  My parents handled the situation coolly and calmly as all Romeros are known to do and grandma just kept silently looking out the window, not saying a word.  You never knew how much she was paying attention to, but she would often surprise you.  The next morning as im headed out the door for work, my dad reminds my mom to check the stove to ensure that the gas is off, and without missing a beat grandma says “Yea she might blow us all up!”

Another time she was staying down at my dads house, and she was sitting outside, silently watching me and my dad work on one of the first of many decks in the backyard; and after meticulously taking 20 minutes to place all 6 levels on the deck boards to ensure that everything was level did we then nail in the first couple of boards, and after that was finished she promptly said “Jeez Robert! You really are doing a nail a day over there!  You’re never gonna get it finished at that rate!”

She was never one to hold back her words and always said what was on her mind.

When I bought my place, grandma was down visiting with my parents and I came over to have lunch.  I told her about it and she said “Your mom sure does have a lot of pictures and artwork on the wall, do you have pictures at your place?”  I told her no, not yet and she said “Well take some from your moms house, shes got sooo many, she wont know! You see one that you like, just take it!”  Grandma was a wealth of wisdom. So thanks for the picture mom!  It looks great at my place.

Whenever there was something to be done, she was there to do it.  To help out in any way that she could.  Even when sitting down and watching a movie, she would tell me to go get the laundry so we could fold it as we watched.

These are just a few small things ill carry with me. There are many more.

Thank you for the memories grandma, to waking up to the sound of dough being slapped against the board and flattened with the rolling pin for fresh tortillas, that were spread with warm butter and have never been matched in my entire life. To making me my very own special meal that even made uncle Chopoline jealous. Sopitas.

To Holding my hand at night when I was sick, and taking me to the park to feed the ducks.

How can one say goodbye to such a wonderful person?

How has the world not lost its color from this monumental loss?

But thats when you realize they are never truly lost, because they live in you.  The love, compassion, and kindness they gave you will always be with you. They are a part of you, and you are brighter for it.

So Grandma

I marvel at your kindness and compassion,
Your strength will forever be an inspiration,
And I will forever be grateful for everything that you have given me.

So let me leave you with the most potent advice she ever gave me:

Dont Worry! Be Happy!

Love you Grandma!

Great lady! honored to have known you. Rest in peace, you and mom have fun up there. Bless u💞

My heartfelt sympathy to the Romero family on the loss of your beautiful Mother. She truly was an angel on earth.

My deepest condolences. To Dave and your family. God bless.🌹🙏🌹