Iris H."Shirley" Verdugo

Iris H. (Shirley) Verdugo

Iris was born on September 29, 1937 on a 7 mile long island off the East Coast of Puerto Rico called Culebra. She was a middle child of 8 children born of Jorge Romero and Herminia Sanes de Romero. At age 6 her father was killed by a horse and she soon became a mother figure to her younger brothers and sisters. Shirley was a highly motivated, curious, and intelligent child who loved to perform in plays at school and question everything she was taught by her teachers and priests. She graduated from high school at the age of 15 and moved to California to live with her sister Lucy so that she could study English, further her studies, and work to provide support for her mom and siblings back home. Her dream to be a lawyer was diverted when she met her husband of 36 years, Daniel Verdugo. They were wed in Las Vegas in 1958, and remarried 10 years later at St. Edward Catholic Church. Iris and Danny had two children, Daniel Luis Verdugo and Sandra Iris Verdugo who each had one son; Daniel William Verdugo, and Brandon Scott Adams.

While the immediate family was relatively small, Shirley’s extended family was extensive. She was the ‘glue’ of the family who always made an effort to keep family close and share in making memories and traditions. She always said she was just a housewife, but she was truly a career volunteer. Organizations which she passionately participated in as a proactive member were: MAPA (Mexican American Political Association), Puerto Ricans for Kennedy Campaign, Teen Challenge, Director of the Corona Free Clinic, NACOPRW (National Conference of Puerto Rican Women), as well as approximately 13 years of volunteered time at St. Edwards Elementary School where her grandchildren completed grades K-8th. For a number of years Iris became an advocate of families living in a nearby town called Home Gardens, who because of language barriers, needed a feisty bilingual Puerto Rican lady to help them in dealings with immigration and racial injustices. She fought for the rights of minorities who in the 70’s and 80’s had no voice. Having never charged a dime, she always welcomed a delicious homemade Mexican meal as a gesture of thanks. Mom was tireless when it came to doing for others. She embraced people’s diversity, their cultures, and always looked at the best in others personalities and actions. Positive energy and love of life, family and friends was what she most shared with the world

Iris was an avid reader particularly in the genres of politics and religion. She loved and missed education so much that at age 45 she enrolled at Riverside Community College and earned an Associate of Arts Degree in 1984. Shirley was a master chef who believed the best way to show love to her family was to feed them delicious food that always included amazing labor intensive Puerto Dishes. She loved to crochet, listen to music, decorate cakes, garden, gamble, travel, dote on her grandchildren and anyone else’s children and grandchildren who wanted to be spoiled rotten. She was a stand-in Mom and Grandma to anyone who needed a caretaker, love provider, advice giver, or storyteller.

Nicknamed “Shilonga,” “Shillie,” or “Julee,” Iris was fighter. Making huge sacrifices to give the best to her family, and often times putting her needs last. She was a devoted wife to her husband Danny who also worked tirelessly to give the best to their two children and grandchildren whose life’s successes should make them both very proud.

Surviving Family Members:

Daniel and Mary Verdugo Son and Daughter-in-Law

Sandra Verdugo Daughter

Daniel William Verdugo Grandson

Brandon Scott Adams Grandson

Siblings:

Juan Romero and Enrique Romero Brothers

Lucy Sosa, Judith Romero, and Nilda Romero Sisters