AR 105
ROMERO, JOSE LIGOT, M.D. (1926-1995). PAPERS, 1956-1995.
3.5 cubic feet (9 document cases) and one oversize document.
Abstract
This collection documents the personal life, avocations, and professional career of the first Filipino physician and general surgeon to settle on Maui and open a private practice. Born in the Philippines and a veteran of World War II, Dr. Romero became truly a "renaissance man." He was an accomplished violinist who performed frequently and was concertmaster of the Maui Symphony Orchestra, a long-time marathon runner and tennis player, a prominent local speaker and master of ceremonies. He was active in local Filipino organizations and Maui community service and civic groups such as the Kiwanis Club of Maui, Maui Toastmasters, Maui United Way, music and theater groups, and medical committees and associations. Dr. Romero was much liked and widely respected in Maui, and had numerous family members, friends, and acquaintances in the United States and the Philippines.
The papers of Dr. Jose L. Romero have been arranged in six series, illustrating aspects of his personal and family life, friendships, medical and surgical career, and life-long interests in music, running marathons, and community service and civic activities. The series are: Personal Papers, Community Service Records, Financial Records, Funeral Records, Medical and Professional Papers, and Music Records. Dr. Romero's Personal Correspondence (filed in Box 2) is CLOSED to all except his immediate family members during the lifetime of Mrs. Joyce Romero. Within the series, papers have been arranged alphabetically by topic, subject, or name of organization, and chronologically thereunder.
Researchers are advised to contact the Maui Historical Society Executive Director in advance of any intended research or visit, as records may be in use.
Gift of Jocelyn Romero Demirbag, Pukalani, Maui, Hawai'i, June 10, 1997. Accession number 1997-053-001. Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, October 1999.
Biographical Sketch
Jose Ligot Romero was born on March 19, 1926 in Manila, Philippine Islands. He was the third of five children born to a prominent attorney, Ramon Romero, Sr., and a schoolteacher, Maria Ligot Romero. Both of his parents were originally from Laoag, Ilocos Norte. The other children in the family were two brothers, Ramon, later a lawyer, and Redentor, a professional musician, and two sisters, Nelly (or Nellie) (Valdellon), one of the first female judges in the Philippines, and Victoria (Garin), an attorney. His mother died when Jose was five years old.
All of the members of the Romero family were musically inclined. Jose's first violin was a fifth birthday gift from his father. During his first two grade school years, Jose began studying the violin. His oldest sister, Nelly, plays piano; oldest brother, Ramon, plays violin and piano; his younger brother, Redentor, is a violinist and founder and conductor of Manila's National Philharmonic Orchestra, and his younger sister, Victoria, plays violin, piano, and organ.
Jose Romero graduated from San Andres Elementary School in Malate Manila and in 1941, from Araullo High School, Manila. While he was a student, Jose was active in the Catholic Church as an altar boy, a member of the Legion of Mary, in the choir, and as a violinist. Jose's father died shortly after the outbreak of World War II, leaving five children.
Jose was mobilized into the Philippine Army during World War II. After three months of service, the Fil-American forces surrendered in Bataan and Corregidor, and Jose then joined the guerrilla resistance movement. He was a platoon leader in the Manila Military District and East Central Luzon guerrilla area. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division at the time of the Liberation of Manila in February 1945, and was attached to the 86th Infantry Division as a First Sergeant Philippine Scout AUS from 1945 to 1949.
After the end of the war, Jose was transferred to the Marianas Bonis command headquartered in Guam. He continued to play violin for religious services and at recitals throughout his military service. Romero used his U.S. Army earnings to build a family home in Manila and continued to provide financial and educational support for his siblings throughout his life.
After his discharge from military service in 1949, Jose attended the University of the Philippines through the American G.I. bill, supplemented by fees for performances and teaching violin. Rejecting early thoughts of becoming a priest, he obtained a Liberal Arts degree and entered the College of Medicine. He graduated from medical school and the advanced ROTC course in 1956.
Following graduation, Dr. Romero was an intern at the Philippines General Hospital, where he also was first violin with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. From July 1956 to July 1957, Jose Romero held a rotating internship at St. Anthony's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, and from July 1957 to June 1962, he held a general surgery residency at the University of Louisville Hospitals. He also was first violinist with the Louisville Symphony Orchestra. While playing at a Christmas program for foreign students in Louisville in 1959, Jose was introduced to Joyce Edenfield, who was originally from Stuart, Florida. She was a graduating Baptist missionary majoring in organ and choir direction, and played piano accompaniment for several Filipino violin pieces at the request of Dr. Romero. In 1961, Jose Romero and Joyce Edenfield were married.
Jose intended to return to the Philippines with his family, including a daughter, Jocelyn Edenfield Romero, born February 8, 1962, however, instead he accepted an offer to work as Surgical Preceptee at Kaiser Hospital in Honolulu. Dr. Romero worked at Kaiser from 1963 to 1965. In 1965, he was licensed to practice medicine and surgery in Hawaii, and moved to Maui to open a private practice. His interest was in helping "his people" working in plantations in Hawaii.
In 1967, Dr. Romero was pronounced "Diplomate" of the American Board of Surgery. That same year, he purchased the business of the Philam Medical Associates. The Romero family also was completed, with the addition of daughters Michelle (Mikala) Edenfield Romero (born August 12, 1963), Cecelia Edenfield Romero (born May 15, 1965), and Camille Edenfield Romero (born September 8, 1968).
Before settling in Kahului's 9th increment on Kamehameha Avenue, the Romero family lived in Kuau near the Kuau Store and then on Maalo Street in Kahului. Jose practiced medicine in offices on Central Avenue, at 99 S. Market Street, Wailuku, and at Maui Memorial Hospital. A significant part of his practice was the Filipino population who worked on Maui's sugar and pineapple plantations. He also was one of the few doctors who accepted patients during the 1970s who were part of the "hippie" movement and indigent patients without medical insurance.
In his professional capacity, Dr. Romero served on many medical committees and boards, including as chair of the Maui Unit Board of Directors, American Cancer Society; Maui Memorial Hospital's Utilization Review Committee, Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Committee, and Tumor Board; Hale Makua Board of Trustees; Maui County Medical Society, and Hawaii Medical Association.
In his personal life, Jose was an active member of many community service and civic organizations. He joined the Kiwanis of Maui in 1970, and served as club president in 1974. He was a Toastmaster with the Maui Toastmasters Club 910, active from 1969 and early 1970s, and again in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was Outstanding Toastmaster of the Year for 1970 and Hawaii's Toastmaster of the Year in 1990. Dr. Romero made numerous speeches on a variety of subjects, as he was often sought out as a speaker and master of ceremonies throughout the community, offering sermons and lectures, and speaking or presiding at wedding receptions, anniversary celebrations, funerals, and beauty pageants. Other organizations with which Dr. Romero was active were the Maui United Way (board member), Maui Philharmonic Society (board member), Maui Filipino Community Council, American Cancer Society, and with the Boy Scouts "Medical Explorer" program.
As an accomplished violinist, Dr. Romero's great love of music was expressed by helping organize chamber and orchestral music groups on Maui, and with his wife, in performing and teaching their daughters to play instruments. His dream of having a symphony orchestra in Maui came to be in 1980 with the founding of the Maui Symphony Orchestra, for which he was concertmaster. He played his violin at recitals and programs through the state, with string quartets and as a strolling violinist. Often he played with one or more family members. He also performed with the Maui Community Theatre, Maui Youth Theatre, and Baldwin High School Theatre Guild. In addition, he was a president of the Maui Philharmonic Society, helped direct the Christ the King church choir and sang with the Maui Community Chorus and Maui Vocale. Jose frequently attended musical workshops, including the famed Interlochen camp in Michigan and an International Workshop in Lyons, France. His secret of how to be a good musician was to practice at least five minutes a day.
By 1981, the Romero marriage was unhappy. The Romeros legally separated in 1981, and ultimately divorced in 1985. Dr. Romero lived in Pukalani during the 1980s, and moved to Haiku to live on Michelle's property in 1994. He continued his private practice of medicine, assisted by his daughter, Michelle, a registered nurse. Dr. Romero also continued his recitals and musical performances with community musical and theatrical groups. Already an avid tennis player, Jose began running during the early 1980s. After completing his first 10K run, he decided to run marathons. Every year he ran in the Honolulu Marathon, Hilo Marathon, and Maui Marathon. His final marathon was the Honolulu Marathon in December 1994.
On February 5, 1995, Dr. Romero played in a Maui Symphony Orchestra concert. He experienced chest pains later that night and was admitted to Maui Memorial Hospital. He was transferred to Queens Hospital, Honolulu, and placed in Intensive Care. He developed a staph infection that had settled in the membrane surrounding his heart and invaded the rest of his body through his bloodstream. On February 15, 1995, Dr. Jose Romero died. His former wife, Joyce, and his four daughters, were present. A friend played the viola and the family recited the Lord's Prayer as doctors attempted a final operation.
As of 2000, the extended Romero family included:
Jocelyn's husband, Mustafa and daughter, Angelina Demirbag
Michelle's children, Makamae and Makoa Palos; Michelle was formerly married to Calisto Louis Palos, Jr. (divorced in 1997)
Cecelia's children, Rachel and Jonah Hu; Cecelia was formerly married to Wilfred "Jeep" Hu, (divorced in 1998)
Camille's husband, Jeffrey Kaipo Jenkins (married April 2, 2000), and his children, Rylee, Jordan, Coree, and Michael Jenkins.
Other biographical information about Dr. Romero may be found throughout the collection, particularly in the personal papers, news clippings, obituaries, and autobiographical speech notes.
