girl scouts of the colonial coast
It
is with sadness that we say goodbye to Dr. Aleli Romero who passed away on
April 10, 2019. Aleli served on the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Board of
Directors in the mid- 90s and accepted the position of Board President in 1999.
Aleli was one of the early donors who supported A Place for Girls (APFG) when
it opened in 1996. The First Aid Room at APFG is named in her honor.
After
her term ended in 2001, she continued to volunteer and helped organize
community health fairs, bringing together Girl Scouts and the Filipino Health
Alliance. In addition, she launched a physician’s mentoring program, providing
Girl Scouts with an opportunity to work-shadow
a health professional.
Aleli
wasn't a Girl Scout growing up in the Philippines, but her service as an adult
volunteer reflected our Girl Scout core principles of leadership, strong
values, social conscience and personal conviction. During an interview in 2008,
she said, “My Girl Scout participation stems from a belief in the
organization's mission of encouraging and empowering girls.”
Aleli
will not only be remembered for her Girl Scout volunteerism, but her many other
volunteer roles in the community. She was the founder and organizer of Dance
for Cancer, a fundraiser that benefits the Patient Assistance Fund at
Chesapeake Regional Hospital’s Cancer Treatment Center and Lee's Friends in
Norfolk. As with all things, she found a way to include Girl Scouts and
recruited them to help with decorations upon many occasions. She was also a
founding member of the Philippine Cultural Center of Virginia and helped
organize an exchange program where Girl Scout troops were invited to
participate in events at the Center and members from the Center spent time at A
Place for Girls.
Aleli
was an inspiration to all, but especially to children. She felt strongly that
it was our role as adults to be mentors and role models. To the Girl Scouts she
would meet, she said, “Study hard, because you can be a doctor when you grow
up,” a message she received as a girl in third grade from a favorite uncle.
Girl
Scouts and the community will dearly miss her. She is survived by her husband
of 55 years, Deacon Cris Romero, her eldest daughter, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Romero
and her husband Tim Turner, her son, Alchrysanth G. Romero and partner Michael
Kruelle, and youngest daughter, Dr. Cynthia Corrine Romero and her husband, Dr.
Marc. Munoz. Dr. Aleli Romero also leaves behind a legacy of generosity, joy
and service especially within the lives of her patients over 35 years, the
Filipino-American community and the region of Hampton Roads.
The
family invites friends to the wake service scheduled for Friday, April 26 at St.
Matthew Catholic Church, 3314 Sandra Lane, Virginia Beach. Visitation starts at
5 p.m., Novena Prayers begin at 6 p.m., followed by a service and reception.
The Mass of the Resurrection will take place on Saturday, April 27 starting at
11 a.m. at St. Matthew Catholic Church.
