Severin Romero Lopez (a.k.a. "Chevy") passed away in Tucson, Arizona on Sunday, November 27, 2022 at the age of 92. He was born to Isidoro Lopez and Maria de Jesus Romero in Ontario, California on January 8th, 1930.
Chevy attended Grove Elementary School in Ontario, a segregated school for people of color, and in particular for Mexican Americans from 1935 - 1942. His junior high years were completed at Vina Danks. He attended Chaffey High School but was eventually pushed out as a sophomore, due to de-jure segregation at that time.
On February 29, 1951 Chevy was drafted into the United States Army and deployed to the front line of the Korean War with the 25th Infantry in the 7th Armored Division. While in the Army, Chevy would become a member of the 27th Infantry Regimental 65-Voice Choir that toured the 25th division during the holiday season. Chevy also served in the 27th Infantry Wolfhound Raiders, known as the "Eight Army's Fire Brigade". He was honorably discharged on March 31, 1952.
Chevy was awarded 2 Bronze Stars, one of the highest military decorations, for his actions showing bravery and courage in fighting the enemy. He earned the National Defense Medal for distinguishing himself by heroism in battle. He also earned the Korea Service Medal and United Nations Medal for active participation in the Korean War. Chevy also earned "Sharpshooter Status" after rigorous training to become the most feared weapon on the battlefield. As a sharpshooter, he carried the Browning Automatic Rifle with an extra weight of 20 lbs., and was given an assistant to carry and supply him with more ammunition.
In civilian life, Chevy held employment at the Ontario Appliance Center store, Del Norte Elementary School and the Ontario-Montclair School District, the Guasti Winery in Guasti, California, and eventually retired in 1991 from home appliance store The Agitator Shop in Pomona, California as Delivery Department Manager.
Chevy's community involvements included membership at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Ontario, where he assisted with maintenance, the print shop, and the Men's Auxiliary Club. He was also a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Rancho Cucamonga, and St. George Church in Ontario.
Chevy is preceded in death by his parents, Isidoro Lopez and Maria de Jesus Romero, his wife Maria Teresita Lopez, and his grandson Antonio Lopez.
He is survived by his sister, Josephine Gomez; four children, Enrique Lopez, Victor (Martha) Lopez, Cecilia (Jose) Cedillo, and Silvia (Daniel) Krespan; eight grandchildren, Monica (Randy) Solis, Vanessa (Travis) deBoer, Alejandro Lopez, Laura (Steven) Parker, Andrew (Amelia) Krespan, Claudia (Darin) Handlen, Alan Krespan, and Nicholas Carter-Lopez; and eleven great-grandchildren, Marisa Lopez, Vincent Solis, Lucas Solis, Penelope deBoer, Nicholas Parker, Sophia Parker, Zachary Krespan, Bridgette Handlen, Cali Handlen, Aiden Handlen, and Yamil Veytia Gonzalez.
A rosary service for Severin will be held Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at St. George Catholic Church, 505 N. Palm Avenue, Ontario, CA 91762, with funeral mass to follow from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Committal service will occur Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Bellevue Memorial Park, 1240 West G Street, Ontario, CA 91762. A reception will occur Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM at Draper Mortuary, 811 North Mountain Ave, Ontario, CA 91762.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Draper-Mortuary.com.
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