Amelita Borigas Ulan

Amelita B. Ulan, age 76, passed away peacefully surrounded by her sister and nieces on November 24, 2025 after a resilient battle with Stage IV lung cancer. She was loved and cared for by her family in her niece’s home in Henderson, Nevada upon her call to heaven.

Amelita was known as Mel or Melly to her family and Amy (pronounced Ah-mee) to her friends and colleagues. She was born on December 4, 1948 (but official records show she was born on January 1, 1949) in Mendez Polangui Albay, Philippines to Francisca Borigas and Jose Concepcion Ulan Sr. She was the third out of seven children. Dearly loved and adored by her family and friends and well respected within her colleagues. She is survived by her siblings Joseph Ulan Jr., Linda Catangui, Bayani Ulan, Carlo Ulan, Rey Ulan, and Ramon Ulan. While she never had children of her own, she has treated her nieces and nephews like they were her own, especially Karl Ulan and Karen Ulan-Goll. She joins her parents and loved ones in eternal rest.

Amelita went to Albay High School, Class of 1965 then attended Philippine Normal College Taft Avenue in Manila, Class of 1969 with an Education Degree. She was a teacher for 15 years. Then she decided to switch careers which would strategically position her for a Medical Scientist career later on in the US. She attended Centro Escolar University in Manila, Class of 1987 Medical Technology Degree.

Amelita immigrated to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1989 to pursue her Medical Scientist career. Then in the 1990 she moved to San Diego, CA and worked as a Medical Scientist at the University of California San Diego Hospital. In 1999, she permanently relocated back to Henderson, NV where she had a successful career with University Medical Center (UMC) until she retired in 2015.

Amelita was known for her cheerful, loving, helpful, and resilient personality. She dedicated her entire life to helping and supporting her family wherever and whenever needed. Her greatest passions were gardening, spending time with her grandnieces and grandnephews, and traveling back and forth to the Philippines. Her favorite activities were traveling, gardening, reading, walking, and watching Fox News and being a part time stock broker.

After retirement, Amelita continued to be active in the Sun City retirement community where she resided, an active parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi, and traveled between US and the Philippines to build her retirement home in Tagaytay and a chapel for the Polangui Albay community.

In August 2025, Amelita was diagnosed with stage IV adenocarcinoma, discovered at the size of a baseball inside her right lung and had spread in the surrounding tissues and outside of the lung. Tumor was inoperable and she also lost the ability to communicate. By October 2025, we had decided that it was best for her to be in home hospice care for the remainder of her time with us. While her body failed her, her mind and heart were incredibly strong. We often told each other how she was a super woman - possibly one of the strongest people we know. She gave us two additional months that we didn’t think we would have. Amelita is one in a billion. An angel to all the lives she deeply touched, she will be forever loved and missed by family, friends, and loved ones.

The Ulan family is grateful for the prayers and support through this difficult time and welcomes all to join the service in celebration of Amelita’s life. In lieu of flowers, the Ulan family humbly requests memorial trees in her memory (click on send flowers link and search for “Plant Memorial Trees). Flowers can also be sent to Palm Eastern Mortuary on 7600 S. Eastern Ave. on December 19th and 20th before 1pm PST.

The Amelita B. Ulan Foundation will be set up in the near future to sponsor high potential students from her hometown in Mendez, Polangui Albay. This is her legacy that we know she will be proud of and we hope will outlive all of us.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen Ulan-Goll at 702-480-1851.

Warm regards,

Karen