If teens Patricia McKeon and Frank Romano Jr. had met 60-plus years later, they might have been accused of "inappropriate" office behavior.

"We both worked at Western Electric (a subsidiary of Bell Telephone Co., in Brooklyn) as messengers at the time (1943), and I used to flirt with her in the halls," said retired Army Col. Romano, of Lone Tree.

"I would whistle at her as she walked by, and she did the same thing to me."

Flirting led to friendship, then to writing letters after Romano left to serve in the Army, then long-distance dating and marriage.

Patricia "Pat" Romano, 82, died in her husband's arms March 10 at Heritage Club nursing home from a leukemialike condition.

She was born Nov. 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Ethel Leddy McKeon and John McKeon Sr.

She was raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Fontbonne Hall Catholic High School for girls in 1942 before taking that job at Western Electric.

The Romanos married in 1947 and lived in Brooklyn for a while, but Frank's Army career soon had them traveling around the world.

The first of six children was born in Brooklyn in 1948, followed by a daughter and son at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pa.; a son at Fort Carson; a daughter in Tirrenia, Italy; and a son at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

They also lived in Heidelberg, West Germany, and stateside at Fort Knox, Ky.; Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Fort Benning, Ga.; and Peterson Air Force Base. They settled in Lone Tree.

Home is where Mrs. Romano's heart was and where she enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was a gracious hostess and fabulous cook and entertained guests in each of her homes. Her Irish ancestry didn't hamper her Italian cooking skills. Specialties included green lasagna, linguini with clam sauce, soups and homemade pizza on Saturdays.

"Once, while entertaining my commanding officer and other guests in Italy, my wife started having labor pains," Romano said.

Not only did she finish hosting the dinner, she cleaned up afterward and gave birth to her fifth child five hours later.

"Saturday (the next day) I was at the officers club and told everyone my wife had the baby. My commanding officer was shocked - he had no idea she was due."

In 1974, the couple retired to Colorado Springs, where Mrs. Romano ran a successful catering business from home. They also continued traveling to Europe, taking cruises and visiting family and friends around the U.S.

A rosary was said and an Irish wake was held at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel. The funeral Mass was at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, followed by cremation and private interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

A portion of her ashes will be taken for burial to her ancestral home in Edgeworths Town, Longford, Ireland.

She was preceded in death by a son, Frank Romano III.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Romano is survived by daughters Joanne (and Rocky Capozzi), of Anchorage, Alaska, and Marianne (and Rick Parker), of Rogers, Ark.; sons Michael (and Elaine) Romano, of Eagle, Idaho, Robert Romano, of Aurora, Jim (and Andrea) Romano, of Highlands Ranch; daughter-in-law Gil Romano, of Englewood; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Donations in Mrs. Romano's name can go to any charity, including St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 8035 S. Quebec St., Centennial, CO 80112.

weinsteind@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2882