Jose Roman, a caring man of faith known for his generous spirit, has died

Jose Roman was a caring man who practiced the tenets of his Catholic faith daily, his friends and family said, by reaching out to help others in need.

"He was such a special man," said Jenny Araujo of Westbury, who said she became friends with Roman and his late wife Lidia decades ago at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Westbury.

"He preached with his action," Araujo said. "I call him Number 1 missionary. He used to go pick up people from their homes and bring them to church. Every Sunday — for years. Not only that, he used to help all those in need with his own money, [and] with his time taking them to look for jobs. He was one of a kind."

Cynthia Orellana, chair of the St. Brigid Hispanic Community, who cites Roman as one of its founders, said: "What made Jose special was he was so welcoming to everyone that was brand new to the community. … He lived the gospel."

Roman died Wednesday in hospice care in his Old Westbury home following complications from heart disease, said his son Alejandro "Alex" Roman. He was 85.

Orellana, who said she has been a member of the church since the 1990s, recalled Roman's involvement with establishing the church's Spanish Mass.

"Circa 1975 there was no [Spanish] Mass at St. Brigid’s Church. Him and his brother [Guillermo Roman] started knocking on doors." She said the Mass began, with the support of the pastor then, the Rev. Fred Schaefer, in the basement of the church's school with about six people.

"The Roman brothers were the pioneers of the Hispanic community at St. Brigid’s Church. Now our community is over 3,000 people," Orellana said. "We have five different Masses in Spanish."

Manuel J. Ramos, a deacon at St. Brigid, who has been at the church since the 1970s, recalled those days when Roman would go knocking on the doors of residents.

"Then over the years he was president of the … steering committee on the Hispanic community. There was a religious and social dimension," to Roman's efforts, Ramos added. And that was "to make sure people were helped, helped finding jobs, clothing … all sorts of services to the newcomer, to the immigrant."

Ramos said Roman sang in the church choir, was a Eucharistic minister and was involved in other dimensions of the church. "He was an extraordinary man, the type of person who comes to give, not to get. His generosity was outstanding."

Alejandro Roman of Merrick said his father was born in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas. He said his father found a job in Juarez, Mexico, where he met his wife, and eventually the couple came to Old Westbury at about 1970, where he said his parents worked for the Phipps family's estate. Jose Roman worked as a groundskeeper, his son said, and eventually his parents became American citizens.

"He would go to night school to learn English," Alejandro Roman said. "He was always a hard worker." He said his father worked part-time jobs at night.

Roman was predeceased by his wife Lidia. Besides his son Alejandro, survivors include another son, Jose of Bethpage; a brother, Guillermo of Old Westbury; and four grandchildren.

A wake for Roman is scheduled for Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Donahue Cecere Funeral Home in Westbury. A funeral Mass is set for Monday at 9:45 a.m. at St. Brigid in Westbury, with interment following at Holy Rood Cemetery.

By Olivia Winslow

olivia.winslow@newsday.com@newsollie