Viola was born 25 Oct 1933 to Marcos and Mabel (Montoya) Romero. She was the 4th child of 10 born to them.
Viola was her brother, Marcos Jr’s, best friend, he fondly recalled. Her death effected him greatly, unto his last days. He mentioned in passing that he was seeing her just before he passed away in 2015. To me proving that no one ever truly leaves us, we merely are not able to see them until we are closer to our home in heaven.
When they were living in Alameda, California, where her father worked during the war, Viola fell ill.
She got swollen and her body broke out in infections all over. Her hair started falling out. Her teeth were increasingly worsening as well.
Her parents took her to the doctor. He told them, from her brother Mark’s memory, she had Hidropesia (dropsy) He told them he could treat her but it would be very expensive.
For the family it could not have happened at a worse time as Marcos had just been laid off from his job since the war had ended.
They were soon returning to New Mexico and did not have much to show for their time in California. They returned to the home they had shared with Marcos’ brother Alfredo and his wife Celina (Montoya) and their children. It was given to them by their father Isidoro. It had been split into two to accommodate two separate families. Grandpa Isidoro (Lolo) lived on the side with Alfredo and Celina.
Times were tough and I’m sure there was much regret and shame that they could not find the money for Viola. There was nothing they could do for her sadly.
Cousin Mina, who lived in the shared house recalled when she was real sick laying down, the kids would try to take care of her. She would ask them for Kool-Aid “tenga me Kool-Aid” they would put it on her tongue. She would say “mmm it’s good”
After several months, much to the lament and anguish of her parents and siblings, she passed away on 9 Feb 1947. She was 13 years old.
Her casket was handmade by her Great Uncles Cristobal and Juan Bautista Romero, her Grandfather Isidoro’s brothers. She was buried in Descanso Cemetery in Talpa, NM.
Her Mother Mabel wanted to leave the Llano house because she used to see Viola all the time in the house. After moving to a newly built house on Montoya St., which her grandfather owned, she refused to even visit the house again. Viola’s loss was so great that she completely abandoned the home in which her almost all her children were born and raised.
Other family members think her death was caused by leukemia, but I am not sure where that thought came from. I have tried to figure out what it could have been that took this beautiful angel from us so young but I cannot come up with anything that fits. One fact that I know is that her Grandmother Lucinda (Valerio) Romero died at 47 and she also was swollen before her death.
I was told while growing up that I looked just like my Aunt Viola, Aunt Lucy even called me Viola from time to time. This is something that I think about to this day. I wish I had a chance to meet her, I wish I had more to include about her but these are all the memories that anyone who knew her while she was alive can recall.