Colleen Ashley Romero - Wakan Aglipi Win – Comes Back Holy

At 5:05pm on October 9, 1989 in Rapid City, SD, we welcomed a beautiful baby girl, who we named Colleen. She was lovingly named after her mom’s best friend/adopted sister Colleen Weston who had passed when they were both teenagers.

With broken and shattered hearts at 5:05pm on July 11, 2024 Colleen, 34 years old, drifted away quietly from our lives. Those that loved her dearly were with her at her side. She was a beautiful loving mother, precious daughter, and fiercely protective sister.

Colleen’s journey in life was mostly spent growing up and living in Rapid City. She attended the Rapid City school system and graduated from Stevens High School in 2009.

At the early age of seven years old, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Her life after that was met with many trials and tribulations. She met the complications of this thief head on with the support of her family. Her mother was her most staunch advocate as well as her own private home health nurse. She had an amazing endocrinology team that helped her navigate her way as well.

Despite the challenges of her diabetes, Colleen, the miracle that she already was, brought her own miracle into this world and named her Iridessa Rae. She accomplished this with the help and support of the endocrinology team and her amazing physician Dr. John Palmer. Iridessa was her love, her life and all her joy.

Colleen had goals and ambitions; she attained some but not all. Dreamt of traveling to Norway, we will get her there. Colleen is deeply loved and missed by her sister, her mother and stepfather and most of all her beautiful creation, Iridessa Rae.

Colleen is survived by her mother, Sheila (Looking Elk-Fanning), and stepfather Paul Fanning; her sister Montana Romero and daughter Iridessa Romero; her grandmother LaVonne Looking Elk; and numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and a grandchild.

Colleen was preceded in death by her father, Timothy Romero; paternal grandparents George Romero and Roselyn Thunderhorse-Little Bear; maternal grandfather Rev. Simon Looking Elk and cousin, Joshua Hatten.