Victoria Tammy Romero - Obituary

ictoria “Vicki” Tammy Romero, went home to be with Jesus, and her beloved parents on February 24th, 2022, of natural causes, in her home in Oxon Hill, MD. Vicki was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 14th, 1965, to the late Ramon Romero and the late Jacquelyn Gleaton Romero. However, when she was about 12 months old, she would be fostered and eventually adopted by her beloved parents, the late Melvin Rattler and Mary T Chapman Rattler. Vicki grew up with the Rattler’s in a single family home as a little girl, in the neighborhood of St. Albans, Queens, New York. Both her Queens accent, attitude, and love to laugh was all a part of her personality. When she was a teenager, she and her mother Mary Rattler, moved to Seat Pleasant, MD, where she attended Greenbelt Junior High and DuVal High School in the early 1980’s. She would then give birth to a son, Anthony, just two days after her 17th birthday, with Mama Mary to help. She even gave her son her parent’s last name as a way of thanking them for raising her. To help support her mother and young son, she worked various retail part-time jobs off and on throughout the years, until 1997; when she finally was able to book a job with NIH’s National Cancer Institute, as part of the Welfare to Work program. She was so proud to work a job that not only supported her and her son, but she knew it made her late mother proud. For every promotion, award, and good review she would receive, she was so proud of it. She would eventually work for the National Cancer Institute, the Suitland Census Bureau, and finally General Services Administration for 24 years until her passing. Ms. Vicki (as all would call her-hehe) leaves to cherish her beloved son Anthony M. Rattler; granddaughter Mikayla N. Rattler; former daughter in law Stephanie L. Mangan; her adopted daughter Felicia M. Hopkins and her children; her adopted son Joseph “Joe” A. Mathern; her surviving siblings Vincent R. Romero (Brooklyn, NY); Teresa A Romero (New York, NY); Lydia Romero (Brooklyn, NY); Elba Romero (New York, NY); and Aida Romero-Colon (Carolina, PR). In addition, she leaves to cherish one of her many nieces Antoinette Carrington and her great nephew Isaiah Williams; and a host of her many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews; and sisters in christ: the Richmond sisters and their families. Last but not least, she leaves to cherish her late parents Melvin and Mary Rattler; her co-workers and friends from GSA, NIH, and the Census Bureau; as well as her friends and neighbors. Relatives and friends are invited to Victoria's Life Celebration on Monday, March 7th, 2022 from 10 a.m. until the start of the service at 11 a.m. at the KALAS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY, 6160 Oxon Hill Rd., Oxon Hill, MD 20745.