Timotea J. Devera

Wife. Mother. Grandmother. Great Grandmother.

March 24, 1920 – April 12, 2013

"I came that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jesus Christ once gave out this promise in the Scriptures, and this promise, we can say, has been fulfilled in Nanay Eming's full, inspiring life.

Daughter of Francisco "Amamang Kiko” and Ignacia Ceria, Timotea Ceria Juanillo was born on March 24, 1920 in Majayjay, Laguna. Eming was the 4th of 6 siblings. She, along with the rest of the family, lived simple lives in their small farms of coconut, pandan, and lansones.

All throughout her life, Nanay Eming has told countless stories of survival, faith, love, and hope –– experiences that are wrapped in a 93-chapter book of life which she lived with such strength, wisdom, grace and elegance. Isn’t it amazing that the simple probinsiyana became the matriarch of a family spread out all over the Philippines and the United States?

One can look at Mother Mary, as Nanay's blueprint of motherhood. Nanay Eming possessed many qualities like Her –– despite all the challenges, she has been ultimately courageous, caring, giving, and loving.

Like any other “dalagang Pilipina”, Nanay had also been in love, in ways she could only share partially by reminiscing capsules of time. Despite having to work on her own just to bring herself to a town “sayawan”, she possessed immense beauty and personality that has gone to tell great tales round the land of Laguna. She fondly recalls how lines of men have courted her, but all failed to capture her heart of hearts.

The dangers of the Japanese Warfare placed Nanay Eming in a situation where she had to decide who to marry, or else lose herself in the ongoing perils of the guerilla and the Japanese occupants. She made a gamble for her future by sending a love letter to one of her widowed suitors. She asked a young boy to bring it to the man's drugstore. She put her love and hope on the line... and time can say that it was the best decision she has ever made.

The man received the letter soon after and went to Nanay Eming's house to talk to her father. She found forever in the person of this pharmacist, a technical sergeant and a war veteran. This man with two kids has struck a chord in her soul and has touched her like music to her ears. It was Tatay Pilo, known in Majayjay as Teofilo Continuado de Vera. Their marriage at 10 in the evening of January 10, 1944 may have been abrupt, but it was no predecessor to a breezy kind of love; Nanay and Tatay had stayed on to be husband and wife, became parents to 10 kids, and moved from Laguna to Mandaluyong City (1956) and Mandaluyong City to Pasig City (1983).

Bearing their firstborn, Evelyn, Eming and Pilo had to hide from the Japanese occupants, and had to face the challenges of building a family during a war-packed time. The couple lost Evelyn at an early age due to an illness, and in a much later time had also lost Cynthia, their 5th child, who died on August 30, 1979 (after 26 years of struggling with epilepsy).

Eming's children can only tell of great motherhood stories about her. Nanay worked hand in hand with Tatay Pilo in making both ends meet; and in the progress of time, Nanay Eming had been instrumental to leading Tatay in becoming a teacher at Banahaw Institute, later on becoming its Principal. Nanay was fond of cooking for her children, and would always make sure of "pagkain sa hapag", enough food at the table for everyone. Nanay later on also decided to have a piggery, and was helped by her kids in feeding them. She prepared puto (rice cakes) to earn a living, and with their powerhouse partnership, both were able to send everyone to school. Today, their kids hold various professions: Josephine, a retired government doctor, Romeo, a businessman in Marikina, Rolando, a retired National Sales Manger, Iris, a nurse who first came to Chicago (Feb. 10, 1979) and is now based in San Diego, California, Lerma, an accountant, Ellen, a Commerce graduate working in DLSU, Carlos, a senior science research specialist working in ITDI-DOST (government agency), and Raul, a self-employed electrical engineer and businessman.

Nanay Eming had lost Tatay Pilo on July 16, 1981. Eming later on followed Iris to the US on September 1987 and had stayed there to become a U.S. Citizen in 1998. Her first balikbayan trip to the Philippines was on March 1992, and thereafter visited her homeland every two years. That way, Nanay Eming continued to mold the lives not only of her kids but her grandchildren as well –– including becoming a second mom to Eric Blanco, who grew up with her in San Diego, California. Her grandchildren are now professionals in different industries such as medicine, nursing, information technology, computer and electronics engineering, business, marketing, advertising, sales, communications, tourism, and the arts.

Together with her granddaughter, Tina, Nanay Eming's last visit home was just last December, in time for Robbie’s (one of her grandson's) wedding. She was very lively and joyful in this visit, despite saying "pinilit kong umuwi hangga't kaya ng katawan ko, kasi baka hindi ko na makaya sa susunod", somehow hinting on various body aches and problems.

Her last birthday was on March 24, 2013, as both families in the US and in the Philippines celebrated 93 years of Nanay Eming's life. Soon after, Nanay was sent to the hospital as she caught the flu, which progressed to pneumonia. Later on she was admitted into the ICU (March 30, 2013).

The family remained by her side as her situation worsened. Even across the miles and because of modern technology like Skype, we all witnessed her struggle and will to live. Her children and grandchildren had become her source of strength in this fight. But Alas, though tough and a valiant fighter, her body was vulnerable to the gravity of her physical condition, and on April 12, 2013, at 12:43 AM (3:45 PM MLA Time), she succumbed to death due to respiratory complications.

Her memory lives on, and she will forever be in our hearts. With over 8 families attached to her legacy, the values that she taught will remain embedded in our lives, all testimonies to a great mother's full, rich life –– a mother like Timotea (Eming) Juanillo de Vera (1920-2013).

Heaven rejoices as they receive her with open arms.

And with mourning hearts, so do we.