The community of Beaverton, Oregon, is mourning the loss of Maria Clarissa “Issa” Ilagan Romero, who passed away peacefully at home on December 2, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was 58.
Born in Manila, Philippines, Issa moved with her family to Oregon in 1984. She built her life and career in the Portland area, graduating from Glencoe High School and later earning her nursing degree from Portland Community College. For more than 30 years, she served as a registered nurse at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, where she was known for her gentle, compassionate care.
Family was the center of Issa’s world. She shared 34 years of marriage with her husband, Joey, and together they raised three children and welcomed five grandchildren. Her home was a place of warmth, faith, and Filipino tradition, filled with Sunday adobo, the sound of Tagalog prayers, and her ever-present, nurturing love.
A woman of deep faith, Issa was a devoted member of St. Cecilia Catholic Church, where she sang in the choir for a quarter-century and helped organize the annual Simbang Gabi celebrations. Her spirit of service extended to the Oregon Food Bank, where she volunteered regularly, and to everyone in her life—whether a patient, a neighbor, or a grandchild in need of comfort.
Issa enjoyed simple joys: tending her garden of calamansi and roses, hosting lively family karaoke nights, and taking yearly trips to the Oregon coast to collect agates and watch for whales with her grandchildren. She is survived by her husband Joey; her children, Justin, Janine, and Jiro; her five grandchildren; her parents; and seven siblings.
A funeral Mass will be held on December 12, 2025, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Beaverton, followed by a reception celebrating Issa’s life, her faith, and the lasting light of her kindness.
Rest in peace, Issa. Your love and gentle spirit will be deeply missed.