Eliu Romero

Obituary for Eliu E. Romero      

9/13/1926 – 2/19/2024

Born September 13, 1926, in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico, and raised in San Cristobal, Eliu E. Romero loved and took great pride in his Northern New Mexico and Spanish roots. After attending a rural school run by the Carnegie Institute in San Cristobal, Eliu enrolled at the University of New Mexico at the age of 15. He interrupted his studies to serve in World War II as a Navy Communications Officer. After service, Eliu earned his bachelor’s degree from UNM and his law degree from the University of Denver School of Law. He then returned to Taos to open his law practice.

Eliu’s legal career was extensive and varied. He loved presenting a case to a jury. His confidence and abilities in the courtroom earned him the reputation throughout the state of New Mexico as a fierce and agile litigator. Eliu took on all types of matters; from land disputes and personal injury, to contracts and business, to wills and estates. His practice, which spanned over 70 years, touched the interests and concerns of generations of the Taos community.

In the early days of his law practice, Eliu identified a need for a financial institution devoted to the interests of the local community. In 1969, Eliu, along with a group of 300 stockholders, led the formation of Centinel Bank of Taos. Eliu was a passionate entrepreneur who felt strongly about the need to keep community capital in the community to foster future generations of growth and development.    

In addition to his law practice, Eliu participated actively in the Democratic Party and served on the Democratic Party of New Mexico Central Committee to support state and congressional candidates. He also took great pride in being a founder of the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque.

Eliu held a deep and passionate love for the land of northern New Mexico. He was always most at peace either picking apples from the orchard in Upper San Cristobal near where he grew up, or working on his ranch in Tres Piedras and then sitting under the porch of the old sheepherder’s cabin to gaze at the view of the expansive Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The conservation easement he placed on his property in the San Cristobal valley was among the first in Taos County and will preserve the beauty of that land for eternity.

Eliu was preceded in death by his parents, Domitila and Gabriel Romero; sisters, Licia Vigil (Leopoldo), Cora Chai (Calvin), Pricilla Romero McComas (Robert), and Ernestine Romero; brothers, Joe Romero and Adelmo Romero; nephews, Leopoldo Vigil, Jr., Wilbert Vigil, and Edward Romero.

He is survived by his wife, Kimberly Grant-Romero; stepsons, Justin S. Grant (Ivy) and Colin W. Grant; former wife and mother of his two sons, Elizabeth Romero; sons, Martin Romero (Cheryl) and Dennis Romero (Sibylle); grandchildren, Rebeca Romero Rainey (John), Miguel Romero (Regina), Chris Romero (Leslie), and Gabriela Romero (and her mother, Lisa Dreger); great-grandchildren, Miquela Romero, Miguel Mateo Romero, Marcos Romero, Izabella Romero Rainey, Elliana Romero Rainey, Andrew Romero, Allie Romero; great-great-grandchild, Mariana Romero. His sisters, Fabi Romero, Veronica Romero, and Eleanor Romero (Alfredo Vigil); brothers, Robert Romero (Vera) and Ramon Pacheco (Amy); sister-in-law, Marcella Romero. And numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and -nephews, and great-great-nieces and -nephews.

Eliu’s love of the land, the law, and community was only surpassed by love of his family. The charisma, passion, and dedication Eliu brought to everything he did will live on for generations to come—his legacy endures in his family, the stewardship and conservation of the lands, his love of the law, Centinel Bank, and the many lives that he touched over the years. 

Eliu will be greatly missed by his family, his many friends and associates in the community, and by his wife, Kym, who says theirs was “a match made in Heaven.”

Services will be held at the following locations and times:

Rosary and eulogy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Thursday, March 7, at 6 pm.

Mass will be held on Friday, March 8, at 10 am at Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Those who feel a special connection to Eliu are invited to share in a Celebration of Life at The Sagebrush Convention Hall on Friday, March 8, at 5 pm.

If inspired to donate to a cause close to Eliu’s heart, please send it to Bridges Project for Education: https://www.bridgesproject.org.

Eliu Romero, el hombre a quien le debemos tanto. Muchas Gracias.

Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home. To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com