Ana Romero Obituary

Ana Maria Romero 

1938 - 2024

Ana Maria Valderrama Romero was born on April 2, 1938, to parents Elias Villalobos Valderrama and Aurelia Salas Valderrama in East Los Angeles, California.

She attended a Private School in Mexico for her elementary and middle school years. She returned to East Los Angeles and attended Garfield High School. She learned to play piano and served as a pianist for the Church of God in Boyle Heights, where her father served as pastor. She later received training as a Certified Nurse’s Aide and Medical Record keeping. 

Ana Maria and Ruben Romero were married on April 8th, 1956 at the Chapel of Roses in Pasadena, CA. They purchased their home on Fitzgerald Ave where they started their family raising their children, Rosa, Ruben, Richard, Gilbert, and Danny. She was a Stay-at-Home Mom. 

When her five children started school, she started working at a fabric store on Whittier Blvd in East Los Angeles until it burned down during the Cesar Chavez riots. Then moved on to work at Michael Levine‘s on Seventh Street in Downtown Los Angeles. She was a seamstress and this is where she bought fabric. She was talented and made a variety of clothing, including Rosa’s folklorico costumes, dancing, and event outfits. She also sold custom pieces to select clientele. Later on in her career, she worked as a CNA at Rivera Convalescent in Pico Rivera. Then in Medical Record Keeping at Pinecrest in Maywood. 

Upon the passing of her husband, she lived with her eldest son Ruben for 14 restful years.

She enjoyed spending time with her 16 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, many cats, birds, dogs, and a loving amount of extended family - both blood and chosen. 

Ana Maria died peacefully surrounded by her family at Whittier Presbyterian on February 15th, 2024 at 8:20 PM. May she Rest in Peace.