Raymon Romereau

Raymon Romereau (Jung Tsi’deh-Willow Bird), loved deeply, always in awe of the beauty of the world around him. He was an adventurous prankster, a collector of things he enjoyed, very intelligent, a talented artist, photographer, and always exuded a calm, steady approach in all things. He loved good conversation over a prune pie and a hot cup of tea. He was a living treasure, fluent in Tewa, English and Spanish. He witnessed the world change around him throughout his life and enjoyed sharing the history of the Pojoaque Valley. Besides his grandchildren, he found the greatest joy in nature and wildlife. He surprised everyone when he one day began feeding the local skunks and photographing them in the evenings. He loved feeding his wild birds and sharing photographs of his encounters with his hummingbirds, and always looked forward to his annual trips to Bosque del Apache to witness the annual migration of the Sandhill Cranes.

He was born in Santa Clara Pueblo in March 1934 to Tomas and Lorencita Romero, the oldest of 3 brothers, all of whom have preceded him in death. It was at this time that the Romero family would relocate to the nearby Pueblo of Pojoaque where the Romero’s ancestry originated, to help repopulate the abandoned pueblo. His father and mother were integral in helping the Pueblo of Pojoaque receive Federal recognition in 1936. His father would become one of the first Governors of the Pueblo.

Raymon grew up in the Pojoaque Valley, attending Pojoaque Valley Schools. He loved sharing the stories of his early life with his brothers Manuel and Jerry, and the adventures they had in the pueblo, hunting rabbits and quail, and helping farm the beautiful land around them. He would lose his youngest brother Jerry in one of these adventures while swimming one day along the acequias. His family would soon thereafter adopt a younger sister, Sandra, who would help complete their family.

As a young man, he worked for a short time at the Pojoaque Speedway where he enjoyed the numerous conversations with the people he encountered. He would go on to attend college at Northern in El Rito to become an electrician, working for Pueblo Electric building pueblo housing, and then ultimately retiring from Johnson Controls in Los Alamos. He followed closely in his father’s footsteps and also served as a Governor of the Pueblo throughout the 1980s.

Raymon would go on to eventually marry and raise a family. Although this marriage wasn’t permanent, they were blessed with four children whom they loved deeply.

Raymon is preceded in death by his parents Tomas and Lorencita Romero, brothers Manuel and Jerry, Godparents Elizario and Estefanita Garcia, and close friend Averill Nelson. He is survived by the mother of his children Mary Jane Martinez (Abie), sister Sandra Romero, his children Clyde Romereau (BJ), Claudine Romereau (Jose), Nadine Ulibarri (Eric), and Thomas Romereau, grandchildren Nathan, Brian, Kenneth, Karlie, Briannah, Mateo, Lauren, Therese, Isaac, Jerome, and Blaise, great-grandchildren Ryan and Jayden, Goddaughter Melanie Padilla, close friends Meredith Tilp and Sharon Gerena, as well as many other treasured friends who he regarded as family and loved so very much. You know who you are.

Special thank you to the Pueblo of Pojoaque, Charlene Talache (CHR), Roadrunner Hospice, and the staff at Indian Health Services in Santa Fe for your loving care of Raymon.

A rosary will be held on October 26, 2023, at 6:00 PM at the Chapel in Pojoaque Pueblo.

A second rosary will be held on October 27, 2023, at 10:00 AM at Saint Anne Parish at 511 Alicia St., Santa Fe, NM 87501 with a Funeral Mass to follow at 11:00 AM.  A reception will be held after the burial with details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Friends of Bosque del Apache or the New Mexico Wildlife Center in Espanola.

The family of Ramon Romereau has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the beautiful Espanola Valley.   www.devargasfuneral.com   505-747-7477