Obituary of Mercedes Roman

In Loving Memory of Mercedes (née Galarza) Roman
January 24, 1937 – April 18, 2025

Mercedes Roman, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and cherished member of the Glen Gardner, NJ community, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, April 18, 2025, at the age of 88, surrounded by the love and comfort of her family.

Born on January 24, 1937, in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, Mercedes was the treasured daughter of Eusebio and Patricia (née Rodriguez) Galarza. Her early years in Puerto Rico shaped the gentle strength and deep devotion that would define her life.

Mercedes’s heart was forever devoted to her family. She raised her two daughters, Nancy and Haydee, with unwavering love, instilling in them the values of kindness, resilience, and the enduring importance of family. Her four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren were the light of her life — each one a precious source of pride and joy.

She found her greatest happiness in the simple, beautiful moments spent with loved ones — sharing stories around the kitchen table, celebrating life’s milestones, and holding hands during life’s quiet hours. These memories, woven together over decades, remain an enduring legacy of love, laughter, and togetherness.

Mercedes was preceded in death by her beloved sisters, Aida Ortiz and Nidsa Galarza, whose memories she held close to her heart.

She is survived by her devoted daughters, Nancy Ramos and her husband Miguel Sr., and Haydee Gallardo and her husband Victor Jr.; her adoring grandchildren, Miguel Jr., Jessica, Erica, and Victor III; and her treasured great-grandchildren, Miguel III, Omar, Aryana, Joshua, Anjali, Alaina, Alexander, Alexa, and Victor IV. Mercedes is also survived by her three sisters, Maria Roldan, Carmen Roldan and Gloria Galarza.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, 52 Main Street, Hampton, NJ 08827. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.

Mercedes’s life was a testament to quiet strength, deep faith, and unconditional love. She will be profoundly missed, and her memory will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.