Romulo F. Bustamante

Romulo Fabio "Nono" Bustamante Zuleta, 93, of Kingston, NY, passed away on Friday, November 19th in Poughkeepsie, NY.

A memorial gathering for friends and family will be held at 142 Clinton Avenue on December 3rd, starting at 5 pm with ceremony by Rev. Puja A.J. Thomson thereabouts at 6:30 pm. The event is COVID considerate and ends at 8pm.

Romulo was born in Santiago, Chile to Margarita Zuleta and Romulo Bustamante Contreras on August 15, 1928. He went to high school at Valentin Leterier de Recoleta and Liceo Manuel Barros Borgoño. He studied Accounting at an ancillary technical arm of the Universidad Catolica, while he worked for the postal service. Once in the US, he did various jobs before settling in to speciality electronic sales for a Manhattan company that catered to airline employees. As a senior citizen he worked part time for for the Urban League and Catholic Charities in New Jersey.

Romulo emigrated from Chile to Jersey City, New Jersey. He and his wife Gladys, came to the US for a better life. He and went back and forth for years until he could move his family here permanently. He loved soccer, tennis and boxing. And during soccer matches spent a good amount of time doing air-kicks at the time of goals. Crossing in front of the TV was perilous. He had the sharpest wit and the most astute sense of humor. He was famous for stinging life-sentence one-liners. A beagle was once permanently branded, small cow with dog face. If you didn't know how to tuck your dress shirt into your pants, you were called a poorly made package. He had the most beautiful handwriting and only signed his first name in his signature, like he was famous. Romulo never met a cat that he didnt like and spent a good amount of time petting them joking that he pet them so much that their color would fade. He had a profound love of chocolate and sweets and lentils. He said he loved his late wife Gladys forever and never took his wedding ring off after her death. All of his grandchildren carry some resemblance of him.

Romulo is survived by his daughter, Ljubitça (Julee) Evelyn (Bustamante) Molina, Kingston, New York. Alexis R. Bustamante, and his partner Lillian Duque Becerra, Santiago, Chile, Rodrigo C. Bustamante and his wife Carolyn Baris of Colonia, New Jersey, His siblings, Silvestre Bustamante and Ada Bustamante, Santiago, Chile. His Grandchildren: Christian Bustamante and Nicholas Bustamante, Santiago, Chile. Jackson Bustamante, Josephine Bustamante, and Grayson Bustamante, Colonia, New Jersey. He leaves many fur grandchildren behind but his heart belonged to the Kitty Coté, Kingston, New York. He is preceded in death by his wife, Gladys Dora Bustamante Molina Acevedo, mother, Margarita Zuleta, father Romulo Bustamante Contreras, Sisters, Anita Bustamante, Ethel Bustamante, and Ruby Bustamante.

Memorial donations may be made to SPCA of Ulster County. Romulo wanted to make sure that no cat ever starve. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Keyser Funeral Home, Daniel Kanter for the use of his home and to those who helped his daughter take care of him in his final days.