Virgie A. (Barnes) Romero, a resident of San Leandro, California for 55 years, died at the age of 87 on Christmas Day. Virgie was born in Ola, Arkansas on October 19, 1924 to the late Luther Barnes and Lizzie (Goodson) Barnes and moved to Berkeley, California at the age of 17. While she was working as a welder in the shipyards of Richmond, she met the love of her life, Ed, who she was married to for 61 years until he passed away in 2008. Virgie was a true Rosie the Riveter during the war. After the shipyard closed, she worked off and on while her children were growing up but she felt her number one job was being a great wife, mother and grandmother.

Graveside service will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Charleston, under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home in Charleston.

Officiating the service will be the Rev. Terry Scott.

She is survived by two sons, Ken and Dennis Romero; one sister, Johnnie Sue McClure of Charleston; (11) grandchildren; (13) great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

With her passing, Virgie joins her husband Ed, three brothers, Leroy Barnes, Bill Barnes, and a infant brother; one sister, Adell Ward; her daughter, Joyce; great-granddaughter, Sienna; and great-grandson, Angel in Heaven.

To pay an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.