Patti Gilmartin Romp

Patti Romp, 59, of Salisbury, Vt., died Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, after a yearlong battle with colon cancer. She was a former resident of Stowe.

She was born in Atlantic City, N.J., March 22, 1956, daughter of Thomas and Rita (Devine) Gilmartin. She graduated from Lower Cape May (N.J.) Regional High School in 1974 and attended Thomas Jefferson University in 1974-75.

After trying out nursing school and finding it not to her liking, she followed her cousin Terri to Vermont in the winter of 1975, where she became somewhat of a legend. She was one of the first women on the ski patrol. At 4-foot-11 and 100 pounds, it was a position she fought hard to achieve.

In about 1980, she persuaded the bank to loan her money to build a house, even though she lacked permanent employment.

She married Billy Romp of Troy, N.Y., in 1987 and with their three children they bicycled from Vermont to Alaska.

She worked as a massage therapist for over 35 years, owned and operated Salisbury Station Bed and Breakfast, and sold Christmas trees every winter in New York City, making many lifelong friends there.

Patti enjoyed many hours on the beach in Cape May, her hometown, and loved the ocean. She also loved downhill and cross-country skiing, kayaking, biking, dog-mushing, flying and horseback riding. She was working on her pilot’s license before her sickness.

Survivors include two sons, Henry Romp of New York City and Tim Romp of Salisbury; one daughter, Ellie Bishop and husband James of Salisbury, and their four sons, Colby, Thomas, Charlie and Lucas; her father, Thomas Gilmartin of Cape May; her brothers and sisters, Linda and husband Jerry, Tom and wife Michele, Margie and husband Marty, Joe and wife Raechel, and Tim, all of Cape May, and Marie and husband Scott of Woodland Park, Colo.; by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews; her lifelong friends Sue and Sandy and Janice Hayes; her caregiver and friend Carol Craig; and her cousin Terri Case Cole of Morristown.

Her mother, Rita, died in June 2011.

A celebration of Patti’s life was held Monday, Oct. 12, at the Whiting (Vt.) Community Church, followed by a time of remembrance at the Lilac Inn in Brandon. Her ashes will be spread in Vermont and New Jersey.

Miller and Ketcham Funeral Home in Brandon assisted the family.

If anyone has memories of Patti Romp, please mail them to Terri Cole at 470 Beacon Hill, Morristown, VT 05661 or email them to spotpuff@aol.com and she will compile them to share with the family.