ERNESTINE STEPHANIE ROMERO
Ernestine Stephanie Romero, 32, of Pojoaque, gained her angel wings on July 11, 2019. Ernestine was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother Jennie Jimenez, maternal grandparents Juanita and Urbano Jimenez, paternal grandparents Libradita and Roberto Romero, aunts Geneva Barela, Pauline Biddle, and Virginia Romero, uncle Rudy Romero, and nephew Matthew Montoya. Ernestine was born July 10, 1987 into a musical family and her passion for music blossomed at a young age when she watched her father’s band perform. She began her professional career when she was eight years old and released her first album when she was eleven. She began performing and gaining a loyal following while becoming known as "La Jovencita". Ernestine released a total of ten albums throughout her musical career working with a wide range of talented musicians from around the world. Ernestine gained an international fan base which were very dear to her and she enjoyed interacting with her fans everywhere she performed or appeared. Ernestine won many awards throughout the course of her illustrious career for singing, writing, and producing her music that incorporated elements of many diverse musical styles which created her own unique sound. Ernestine graduated from Pojoaque Valley High School in 2005 where in addition to her musical career, she was also a star athlete and scholar excelling in all areas of her educational journey. In addition, Ernestine also successfully completed her bachelor’s degree in business from Northern New Mexico College. Her professional career included employment at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the State of New Mexico. Ernestine’s amazing personality, radiant smile, and contagious laugh always made her family, friends, and fans feel special. She spread joy, happiness, and love to all those she encountered, and she touched so many lives through her music, kindness, and love for life.
Ernestine is survived by her parents, Willie and Olivia Romero, brother Archie Martinez (Mary Ellen), sisters Peggy (Leonard), and Jennifer Romero (Pete), her Godparents who loved her very much George and Connie Romero, nieces Teara Padilla, Adeline, Lisa, Rachal, and Debra Martinez, Emilia and Marianna Montoya, nephew Isaiah Esquibel, aunt who helped raised her Rosina "Tia Rosie" Contreras, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members Jordan Baca, Felipe Gomez, Diego Montoya, Pablo Urbina (DeAnna), Kayla Ulrich, April "Lola" Valencia, her Public Education Department work family, and her beloved dogs Jordan, Lacey, and Tyson. A special thank you and acknowledgement is extended to all the musicians who performed with her throughout her career. A memorial will be held on Friday, July 19, 2019 at the Ben Lujan Gymnasium in Pojoaque, NM with visitation at 6:00 p.m. followed by a rosary at 7:00 p.m. On Saturday July 20, 2019 a funeral mass will be held at Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in Pojoaque, NM at 11:00 a.m. with reception to follow at the Ben Lujan Gymnasium.
The family of Ernestine Stephanie Romero has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Espanola Valley. 505-747-7477-www.devargasfuneral.com