WORCESTER___David E. Romeo, 57 of Worcester died unexpectedly on Wednesday August 5, 2020 of a heart attack.
He is survived by his mother, Eleanor (Kozel) Romeo Rutkiewicz ( Boynton Beach, FL), a sister, Kathleen “Kathy” Romeo, who resides in Boynton Beach, FL and a brother, Robert A. Romeo who lives in West Virginia. He leaves many nieces, nephews and cousins in Massachusetts, Maine, Arizona, Texas and Rhode Island. He had many friends in the Recovery community, including Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob and his sponsor, John. He was predeceased by two brothers, Donald Donovan and James F. Romeo. David was born in Worcester, his father was the late Anthony F. Romeo, who drove taxi cab.
Mr. Romeo was a self-employed taxi driver in Worcester for many years. David was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving Boot Camp at Great Lakes, MI. He was a self-taught auto mechanic and loved working on and fixing up muscle cars. He would fix anyone’s car, and he could diagnose car problems by sound. He enjoyed camping in the White Mountains and loved Hampton Beach, although he wouldn’t go in the ocean. David received several poetry awards in Worcester, and he wrote short stories. He was a faithful member of St. John’s Church and respected Fr. Madden. He had been a member of the St. Paul’s Choir. He played a challenging game of chess, which despite his teaching, his siblings never caught on. He graduated St. Mary’s High School.
He is a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, Celtics and New England Patriots fan. He would always call his sister with updated game scores. When he saw a movie, he could repeat the dialogue almost verbatim. He never tired of telling jokes, “Did I tell you the one about…?”and he never ran out of jokes to tell.
David suffered with a mental health illness since age 18. He has a story, but he is not his story. He was a very kind person, who loved his family and friends. It is hoped that sharing this part of his life , will lessen the stigma of mental health issues and help others know they are not alone. He had many favorite counselors and health providers, whose compassion and expertise helped him navigate the difficult path of mental illness.
The funeral will be held on Friday August 14, 2020 with a service & Celebration of Life at 12:00 PM in DIRSA - MORIN FUNERAL HOME, 298 Grafton St, Worcester. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester. Calling hours in the funeral home are Friday August 14, 2020 from 10:00 AM until the service at 12:00 PM. with current guidelines for capacity, distancing and mask requirements. The public is invited. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to National Alliance for Mental Illness, Central MA Chapter, c/o 309 Belmont Street, Worcester, MA 01604. There is a Go Fund me account for the same cause on Facebook under his sister Kathy’s Facebook account.