Virginia Leaños Romero

Virginia Leaños Romero reunited with her husband, Ramon E. Romero Sr., in Heaven on Friday, January 6th.  She was born on May 21, 1926 in Rossville, Kansas to father Jose Christino Leaños and mother Maria Nicolasa Trujillo Marquez Leaños. Orphaned by the age of three, she was raised by Luis and Maria Jimenez in Williamstown, Kansas. Virginia married Ramon Sr., a WWII veteran, on May 16, 1946, and together they raised five children in Lawrence.  

Having a close and loving family was very important to Virginia.  She was the corner stone and pillar of the family.  Known for her delicious traditional Mexican cooking, her kitchen was a home for all. She enjoyed crocheting and quilting; and hand-made blankets for her many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved attending Mexican dances and fiestas with her husband and family, including the annual St. John’s Mexican Fiesta.  She enjoyed traveling the United States and Mexico with her husband, children, and grandchildren; and she was particularly fond of a trip she and her husband made to Australia in 2000.

After her children were grown, she owned and operated Romero’s Liquor Store in downtown Lawrence for 25 years. Virginia enjoyed serving as a Democratic Party poll worker and precinct supervisor at the New York School on nearly every presidential election day from President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first election in 1952 until 2016, missing only one election due to heart surgery in 2005.  She was featured in the Journal-World for her poll worker service in 2006 and 2014. When asked in the 2006 Journal World interview to identify her favorite elected official, she said, “Kennedy. He was just a friendly president, just trying to do good for his country.”  Also, she was appointed to the Kansas State Cosmetology Board by Governor Robert Docking, Jr. in 1973.

Virginia was preceded in death by Ramon Sr., her husband of 62 years; two brothers, Antonio Marquez and Feliciano Leaños; four sisters, Linda Leaños Limones, Agrippina Marquez, Cuca and Carmen Marquez-Lopez; and foster brother Fidel Jimenez, Sr.  She is survived by her children: Judy Romero; Ramon Romero Jr.; Antonio Romero (Kyoko); Guadalupe Romero Kosa (Rodney); and Michael Romero.  She is also survived by her grandchildren:  Adrianne Jones (Seth); Andrew Weibel; Christina Romero; Antonio Romero, Jr. (Cassandra Majus); Rosalina Romero (Brent Vignery); and Jason Romero (Jackie).  She is also survived by her great-grandchildren: Evelyn and Boyd Jones; Dexter Vignery, Sylvia Romero and Lydia Romero; Vale, Brynn, and Pierce Romero; and Hunter Romero.  She is also survived by foster brother, Johnny Jimenez and foster sister Mary Jimenez Knowles, as well as many nieces and nephews from Kansas and Washington.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, January 13, 2023 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.  Burial will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Lawrence.  A rosary will be said at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, January 12, 2023 with the visitation to follow the rosary until 8:00 p.m. at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

Family suggests memorials in her name to American Heart Association and may be sent in care of the mortuary.  For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com.