Saturday, May 17, 2008

'Legacy goes on' through tree planting

School plants trees to honor longtime teacher, family man

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter, aduncan@dchieftain.com

Green leaves and bright flowers now grow on the Socorro Head Start playground in honor of a man remembered as a wonderful father and grandfather, and a teacher who never gave up.

Socorro Head Start students, staff and parents joined the family of the late Robert "Bobby" Romero and New Mexico Pre-K students and teachers to plant two trees in honor of the longtime teacher on Friday morning. The afternoon Head Start classes were expected to plant flowers around the trees.

Bobby died in March.

Head Start Assistant Coordinator Barbara Chavez said Wal-Mart donated a Navajo willow and Socorro Consolidated Schools donated a chatalpa tree. SDC Internet provided a plaque, said Bobby's oldest daughter, Juanita.

"We're so appreciative of this," Juanita said. "It just shows his legacy goes on. He enjoyed the kids so much, it was his life."

Bobby's whole family attended, except one daughter who couldn't come.

Juanita also conveyed thanks from her mother, Loretta.

"I'm glad that they did this for my brother, and all the family was here, and I'm sure all the kids are going to miss him," said Gene Romero, Bobby's brother.

Bobby taught for more than 35 years in Cuba, N.M., Magdalena and Socorro. He was teaching 4-year-olds in Head Start when he left the profession in December 2007 because of health problems.

Head Start mother Heather Torres said her son, Nicholas, has an autistic disorder and Bobby was willing to work with him.

"He was a teacher who did not give up," Torres said. "He made his classroom into a home away from home and a paradise for these children; he was really strong into music education."

Torres said Bobby was the first teacher who made Nicholas part of the class despite his special needs.

Head Start student Julianna, whose last name couldn't be released, was in Bobby's class.

"He really liked teaching," she said.

Julianna remembered playing musical instruments in class and said she learned a lot.

In addition to teaching, Bobby led the production of the Christmas play La Pastorela for more than 25 years, ending in 1998, Juanita said. He was named as Mr. Pastorela.

Bobby provided music at the New Mexico Boys State mock government program for more than 20 years.

A family man, Bobby had four daughters: Juanita, Rozeanne, Robin and Roberta. His 11 grandchildren range in age from 4 to 24.

"He raised four girls, and he pretty much gave us everything we needed," Juanita said.

His daughter said Bobby never complained, but supported his daughters in their good and bad decisions, and was always there.

"He was a wonderful dad, but he was an even better grandfather, I think," Juanita said. "He took care of his grandkids like they were his own."

The day Bobby died, Juanita said, he asked his daughters to take care of their mother.

"And we will," she continued.

Bobby is truly missed, and his family is impatient to see him again, Juanita said.

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