Francisca Romo

Francisca C Romo was born as Francisca De La Rosa Cancino October 22, 1924 in Del Rio, Texas to her parents Refugio De La Rosa and Jesus Cancino. She was the eldest of 3 with her sister Mary Cancino and her bother Jesus Cancino the youngest of the three living on what was a small farm on the outskirts of town where they maintained some livestock and chickens during a greater part of the great depression of the 1930s. As a family they didn't suffer the hunger and lack many did as they had some crops and livestock to maintain not only a food supply for themselves but for nearby family and neighbors. She was described by both her siblings as a hardworking, diligent, contributing family member and was quite a serious student during her school years often times studying by a kerosene lamp late into the night or very early before others were awake. She attended and graduated from San Felipe High School in Del Rio. She had as neighbors many of her extended family, Aunts and Uncles and handfuls of cousins who all lived close by.   In 1943 during World War II she, her siblings and her mother decided to move to Los Angeles, CA where it was reported that the streets were paved in gold. They moved to the Southern California area without knowing anyone and nowhere to live. They were taken in by a total stranger into her home in the initial days arriving in LA after a missed connection with a family friend failed to transpire. Shortly after they all secured jobs, their own residence and began their new lives in Southern California. Francisca, later began working for the board of education as a bookkeeper in Los Angeles. In 1948 met her husband Arturo Romo and they were married in 1949 and had their first child Robert in June 1950. They continued to live in East Los Angeles working and raising their only child and managed to build a savings to acquire a home in Long Beach, in 1955 where they moved and where Francisca lived until her recent call from God. Her family grew with two more children, Richard in October 1959 and Mary Ruth in March 1963. She was highly involved with all her childrens' activities in and out of school and stressed the importance of devotion to family to not only her offspring but to all she could influence both young and peers. She left her job at the board of eduction in Los Angeles shortly after Richard was born and became a child care giver as she was a stay at home mother in the early 60s. She always had a love of little children which was a perfect transition later to nursing career. Francisca always had a caring manner and life long wish to become a healthcare provider and she returned to school in her mid-late 40s to become a nurse and working nights as an aid and attended classes during the day to complete her education. She retired after 20 years of nursing working nights as a labor and delivery nurse at a local hospital. Nursing was a passion she managed to fulfill. Francisca endured losses in her family, health issues but always persevered and relied on her faith and prayer to deal and support of her friends and family and as a result acquired both the respect and admiration of many friends and neighbors. Her later years had health decline and although difficult she maintained friendships, passion for travel, love of her pets usually a dog and often pet birds. It has been her strong faith in her religion, prayer and God that brought about comfort to her in most days of her life. Her demonstration and example to others to have faith and pray. She was a giver and encouraged family, friends and friends of friends as well of friends of family and if you came by around the holidays you'd find yourself with a warm meal, a gift of sorts and a warm feeling inside. She is and will be truly missed by many.Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401