EDWIN PHILLIP ROMAIN, SR.

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF

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May 26, 1922 - April 8, 2019

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CAREER REFLECTIONS… • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Graduated Xavier Prep 1939 Worked as Carpenter (Caskets) Drafted in 1942 Joined Sea Bee’s (CB’s) doing military construction Built Blimp Hangars on Mississippi Gulf Coast used to spot German subs Sent to South Pacific to build military bases in the Philippines Built airplane landing strips used to bomb Japan Eye injured, eventually losing sight in one eye Discharged in 1946; ran home to marry Myra Entered Railway mail service as clerk On days off, he worked as a carpenter Went to Worsham Mortuary College in Chicago Built Rhodes Funeral Home on Virgil Street in 1960 Built family home next to funeral home in 1965 Built up funeral business on Westbank and in Plaquemines Parish

Sea Bee’s Motto: “The difficult we will do today. The impossible may take a little longer.”

Edwin “Ro” Phillip Romain, Sr., a WWII United States Navy Veteran, peacefully departed this life on Monday, April 8, 2019 at the age of 96; beloved husband of the late Myra Millaud Romain; son of the late Richard L. Romain and Catherine Douroux Romain; stepson of the late Isabelle St. Cyr Romain; devoted father of Leslie Romain Chauvin, Julie A. Romain, Richard N. Romain, Inez Romain (Roy) Glapion, Paul G. (Amyre) Romain and the late Dr. Edwin P. Romain, Jr. (Dr. Wilfred Delphin) and the late Simone Romain Patin Newman; brother of the late Pearl Romain Weikel; brother-in-law of Alva Millaud LeSassier, Thyronne Millaud and the late Doris Millaud Rhodes, Inez Millaud Bell, Lois Millaud Harris, Henry “Wendell”, Myles and Lyle Millaud; grandfather of Raoul “Dutch” (Cindy) Chauvin, III, Col. Allyson (Jennifer Valteau) Chauvin, USAF, Gian J. Romain, Brandon M. Romain, Ingrid Patin (Yinka) Alonge, Lauren Patin Powell, Alexandria Patin, Dillon A. Glapion, and Dalton R. Glapion ;great grandfather of Phillip and Brennan Chauvin; Patience, Hayden, Joshua “Deuce”, and Landon Powell; Jordyn M. Nelson; Michael and Isabella Alonge; also survived by his “buddy” Raoul Chauvin, Jr. and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and close friends. Special thanks to his caregivers, Jill and Paige Peters and the staff of Passages Hospice.

St. Anthony Catholic Church Celebrant: Rev. John Cisewski.

924 Monroe Street * Gretna, LA 70053 Thursday, April 11, 2019 Visitation: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Funeral Mass: 11:30 a.m.

Eucharistic Liturgy Opening Hymn …………………………………………………………………………………………… “How Great Thou Art” Opening Prayer …………………………………………………………………………………………….. Father John Cisewski Reflections …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Raoul V. Chauvin, Jr.

Liturgy of the Word 1st Reading …………………………………………….. Wisdom 3:1-9 ...………………… Col. Allyson Chauvin, USAF Responsorial Psalm 23 ……………………………. “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want” 2nd Reading ………………………………………… Romans 8:35-39 ………………………………………. Cindy Chauvin Gospel / Homily …………………………………….. John 6:25-28 ……………………………… Father. John Cisewski

Liturgy of the Eucharist Presentation of Gifts ……………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………….

Offertory Hymn …………………………………………………………………………………….. “God Has Smiled On Me” The Lord’s Prayer Communion Hymn …………………………………………………………………………………………....... “Taste and See” Final Commendation

Recessional …………………………………………………………………………………… “Just A Closer Walk With Thee”

Music Provided by: Clark Knighten

E d w in Phillip Roma in, Sr. May

26, 1922 –

April

8, 2019

Personal Memories Of Dad… Ro was a perfectionist of outrageous proportions but, to him, this always translated to a job well done - "quality extraordinaire". “Measure it twice and cut it once”. He never gave less than his best.

Crazy fun times! He played parade with us. When we were children, Dad would come home from work, empty his pockets of coins and throw them in the air like trinkets from the floats on Mardi Gras. We would dive at the flying money and compare what we caught. At our house in Algiers, he and Mom would make ice cream on the back steps in a wooden, hand-crank ice cream maker that had to be kept iced and salted. Pineapple was Leslie’s personal favorite. He shucked bags of oysters in the back yard on Vallette St. in deep concentration with his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth. That's when we knew he was really “into it”. Leslie said, “He taught me to dance. Our number was “It’s Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado. I followed his steps as he put each of my feet on top of his. We danced in the kitchen while Mama fixed dinner. I remember it well.”

Honest to God, he never seemed to make a mistake, but we remember the day he said “oops!” when he cut off the tip of his finger with a power tool. OMG! He taught us to drive - not such a good experience at the time but that experience is now added to the memories with much humor. We remember the many times we accompanied him on a late-night "pickup" for the funeral home. It was fun, interesting, and disturbing at the same time. He taught us to be handy and useful around the house and beyond. All of us have many "survival skills" because of him. Aside from his “day job” as a Funeral Director and Mortician, he was a carpenter, an innovator and an artisan. He improved on an idea and he always had a way to build something better and different from what everyone else had. It HAD to be practical. It HAD to make sense. It HAD to be reasonable. He would never waste a nickel on something just because it was pretty. To Ro, it had to be pretty AND useful.

He’s frugal to a fault! – naturally thrifty except when it came to cars. He loved new cars and he always wanted to be among the first to buy a new model. Ro was available when we needed help. He was always there to help and was insulted if we didn’t ask for his help. He knew how to do anything and everything and was ready to give two cents worth of information or criticism whether we asked for it or not! What a guy!  He taught us that no job is beneath us. "It's honest work", he would say. "I'll shovel shit if I'm going to get paid to do it”. From him we learned integrity and dependability. "Do what you say you're going to do", repay your debts, keep your word, be dependable and thorough, be honorable, be on time and things like that. Boyfriends had to look him in the eye when they shook his hand. And, if they didn’t, well . . .

Compassionate wouldn’t exactly be the right word to describe Ro, though, I know he proved to be generous with his time and funds. He gave to people he knew were in need of help. We all remember "Michael Baloney", don’t we? Uncle Myles stayed at Ro’s house for hospice. He was happy to have aunt Alva, Brenda, and AJ stay with him after hurricane Katrina and they stayed until Alva's house could be rebuilt; although, Alva’s family and good cooking might have had something to do with that. He and Mom taught us everything they knew. We trusted their judgement and skills. Even in Ro’s later years, and until recently, we would seek his advice on DIY projects.

Until recently, he still had the mental capacity to "sort of" help though his interest and energy weren’t there anymore. Dad was "strong like bull"! Four falls resulted in two broken hips, a broken pelvis, a broken femur, hip replacement, a very brief illness, and he was still ticking. His body was strong, his will was unshakable, and he wouldn’t let go of life, seemingly until he was ready. He wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but he was amazing to most of us.

Romain’s Legacy: We are lucky to be blessed with the talents of our dad. The best of Ro is left behind in his seven children: Leslie, Edwin, Jr., Julie, Richard, Simone, Inez, and Paul.

Like her dad, Leslie is a friend, fixer, a collector, a recycler, a helper. Like his dad, Edwin, Jr was musical but took it to a much higher level. He also had a dash of genius, creativity, a cleverness for design, and business. Like her dad, Julie is an artist, meticulous, careful, critical. She finds joy in the details. The goal is always perfection. Like his dad, Richard commands a room. He’s a leader, listener, guide, and strategist. Goal oriented. They connected on sports. The end result is to win. Like her dad, Simone had an aptitude for “making it happen.” If she wanted it, it was “in the bank.” Like her dad, Inez is in charge, strong, truly kind and generous, a caretaker, an artisan, and a fixer. Like his dad, Paul is tenacious with a dash of genius, creative, a builder, can fix ANYthing better & faster than anybody. Rest in peace, Dad. We’ll miss you…

Let Me Go… Cristina Rossetti

“When I come to the end of the road And the sun has set for me I want no rites in a gloom filled room

Why cry for a soul set free?”

The Dash

by Linda Ellis copyright 1996

​I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that they spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash.

What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.

Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real and always try to understand ​the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while. ​So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash… would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent YOUR dash?

Ed win Phillip Romain, Sr. May

26, 1922 –

April

8, 2019

Raoul V. Chauvin, III Brandon M. Romain Dalton R. Glapion Phillip Chauvin

Gian J. Romain Dillon A. Glapion Stanley Borden Brennan Chauvin

Staff of D. W. Rhodes Funeral Home, Inc.

The family wishes to express their deep appreciation and sincere thanks for the kind expressions of sympathy shown during this time. Special thanks to his caregivers, Jill and Paige Peters, the staff of Passages Hospice and to Clark Knighten for sharing his wonderful gift of song.

D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home 1020 Virgil Street Gretna, Louisiana 70053

St. Mary’s Cemetery

VFW Hall

500 De Armas Street Algiers, Louisiana

475 Monroe Street Gretna, Louisiana Program Design & Printing: Our Celebrations of Life (504) 453-2186 * ourcelebrationsoflife@gmail.com