Carmen Romano, 98, of Elberon, died Sunday, November 22, 2015 at home.
She was born in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico as Carmen Aurea Beauchamp Garrestegui, the daughter of police chief Escaraciola Beauchamp and Elvira Garrestegui. Carmen attended the University of Puerto Rico and upon graduation she taught business and commercial courses at that University for several years. After the outbreak of World War II, she worked at a large wholesale supply company providing supplies to the US Army. It was there that she met her future husband of 70 years, Jim, who was assigned to the Army Air Corps, Puerto Rico. They were married 25 February 1944 and Carmen moved to Jersey City as Jim was sent to the China-Burma-India Theater. Upon Jim’s return from the war they lived in Jersey City until 1981 and Carmen held several positions there. She worked for the ABC Paper Company as an office assistant, the Hudson County Welfare Board as an intake specialist, and the Hudson County Superior Court of New Jersey. In that last position she served as the first certified female court interpreter for the Superior Court of Hudson County.
Carmen was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved music and dancing. She was a communicant of St. Jerome Roman Catholic Church in West Long Branch.
Carmen was predeceased by her husband of 70 years, James in 2014; her parents, Escaraciolo and Elvira Beauchamp and 2 brothers, Luis of Puerto Rico and Rafael of Winter Park, FL.
Surviving are her son, Colonel James A. Romano, Jr. (US Army retired) and his wife Candy Grimes Romano of Middletown, MD; her daughter, Veronica Romano of Elberon; her nieces, Teresita and Lourdes Beauchamp of Winter Park, FL; three grandchildren, Candace and her husband Todd Hickman, Alicia and her husband Frank Kalthof and James A. Romano III and 5 great-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 2-4 & 7-9 pm Friday at the Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, Ocean Township. Funeral Mass will be offered at 10:30 am Saturday at St. Jerome’s Church in West Long Branch. Burial will follow at Woodbine Cemetery in Oceanport. For condolences, please visit Carmen’s memorial website at www.fiorefuneralhomes.com for condolences.