Dulcie Romero

Former, longtime Taos resident Dulcinia Aragon Romero, 97, passed peacefully on March 4, at her residence in Albuquerque.

 Dulcinia (Dulcie) was born August 3, 1923 in Chacon, New Mexico to Beatrice and Frank Aragon. Dulcie’s mother died in childbirth, so her grandmother and later, her sister Annie, became “mom” to her.  The Presbyterian church built a church and school, and it was there that she met the minister, Reverend Porfirio Romero and a missionary, Ms. VanHinds, two individuals who would play a big role in shaping her life. It was there where she also met the minister’s younger brother, Celestino. She would recall, with a smile, the young boy with flaming red hair who teased the girls, pulled their braids and would run away. He too, would change her life.

 Dulcie’s passion for reading began as a child. She read the Bible daily throughout her life and at a young age taught Bible School and elementary classes at the mission school. In order to pursue her education, she moved to Albuquerque and attended Menaul High School, a Presbyterian boarding school. There she was reacquainted with Celestino, who became her“sweetheart.”

Upon graduation from high school, Celestino and Dulcie married. In 1950, after completing his degrees in education they moved to Taos where he worked for Taos Municipal Schools, while she worked slowly towards a degree in education, while raising her four children. With the two youngest children in tow, she moved to Las Vegas, NM, to attend NMHU. Later, when her children were older, she resumed classes, full-time, and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and received a certification as a Reading Specialist.

Dulcie’s first job was an elementary teacher at the Taos Pueblo. She made good friends with librarian, Roxanne Foster and teacher, Theresa Singleton. Their families became her family. Their children, hers. A few years later, she was employed by the Taos Municipal Schools at Taos Elementary. There she served as coordinator of the Title I Reading Lab program until she retired.

Besides her family, three things mattered in her life: her church, the schools and the hospital. The Presbyterian church brought all these institutions into northern New Mexico and she spent a lifetime in service to them.  Dulcie was also a lifetime member of the Kiwanis Club of Taos, a Holy Cross Hospital Auxilian, volunteer at Shared Table, church representative for the Jicarita Cluster of northern churches and member of the First Presbyterian women’s group. She and Celestino operated the Presbyterian Loma Verde camp in Taos canyon, summers, for 25 years.

Dulcie instilled in her children the the importance of God in their lives and the importance of a good education. They attended church school and Bible school, read every night, took piano lessons, learned to ski and ice skate. Her girls also learned to cook and bake. as she worked hard to provide balanced and nutritious, homemade food for family and the many friends who stopped by to visit. Her kitchen was open and every visitor ended up at her table.

Dulcie is preceded in death by her parents, Beatrice and Frank and siblings:  Demecio, Annie, Moises, Nea, Flora and Susie. She is also preceded in death by her husband, Celestino, best friend, Ursula Cantu and many other family members and friends.  She is survived by her children: Diane (William) McDonald, JoAnn (Bob) Ortiz, Robert, and Helen (Lorenzo) Hernandez; grandchildren: Kimberly (Doug) Olson, Robert (Teri)Romero, Vanessa (fiancée, Marc), Chelsea (Jesse) Loucks, Jordan (Dane) Brown, Loren Hernandez and step grandchildren Melissa (Ezell) Askew and Jesus Hernandez. Her great grandchildren are : Kylie, Eric, Zion, Kingston, Princeton, Ryan, Trenton,  Antonio, Peyton and Paige, Jayden and Harlee and step grandchildren: Tristan, Elijah and Jazleen. She also survived by two special family members, Eleanor Romero and Sam Martinez.  

Dulcie loved and cared for the following children, like her own: Jim and Anne Foster, Hector and Alicia Rivas, Walter Singleton and Daniel Jaramillo.

She was the strength of the family and exemplified Christ’s live in her life.  In her final days, her eyesight diminished and she could neither cook nor read, (her favorite pastimes), so she took to offering more prayers for family and friends and waited for requests from family for prayers. She believed that performing that task was something she could do to continue her service as a Christian.

The family has entrusted the care of Rivera Funeral Home for arrangements. You may join the family online on Tuesday, March 9th at 11a.m. at www.Facebook.com/PresbyterianChurchOfTaos/live/

 To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com