Carole Emily (Sale) Romano

The daughter of Mr. & Mrs. H. M. Sale, Carole was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on January 23, 1934. She was raised in San Antonio where she attended school and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. During this period, she made lifelong friends with a small coterie of girls and met the love of her life, Louis Charles Romano. She attended Colorado Women’s College for two years before marrying Louis in 1953. Their early married years were spent in Golden, Colorado while Louis finished his degree at Colorado School of Mines and their first son, Louis Charles Romano, Jr. was born. Moving to Ojai, California, Carole got to build her first “dream house” and had their second child and only daughter, Elizabeth Matherson Romano Sames. Ultimately, they returned to San Antonio where Ray Romano and their last son, Todd Alexander Romano were both born.

Carole was always active and interested in her community. At various times she volunteered and did charitable works on behalf of Santa Rosa Hospital, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Conservation Society, Bright Shawl Tea Room, Castroville Conservation Society, Castroville Garden Club and the Olmos Park Garden Club, which she co-founded in 1964.

Carole was very interested in history and genealogy and proud of her family’s heritage going back to the signing of the Magna Carta and coming to Colonial Virginia on an original land grant. She was a member of numerous lineage societies including the Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames of America, Daughters of the Confederacy.

Her thirst for knowledge and the desire to contribute saw her graduate from Trinity University in 1972 and go on to teach and inspire a generation of students for 20 years.

Carole’s love of nature, gardening, historic preservation, houses, decorating, reading, animals of all kinds, her beloved dogs and ponies, her friends and traveling the world were paramount interests, but her husband and family always came first. She was well-read, well-dressed, well-traveled and had impeccable manners. She always made an effort and impact in life and will be missed for her care and concern for others.

She is survived by her four children and their spouses Lady Romano and Harry Sames III, 7 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. There will be a private family burial. In lieu of flowers, please send a contribution to the Castroville Conservation Society.