Ninfa Zaragoza Moreno

To Ninfa Zaragoza Moreno, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Ninfa, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions.

Her parents were Marciano and Asuncion Zaragoza. Ninfa was raised in the Philippines. Even as a child, Ninfa had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Ninfa was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Ninfa managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Ninfa was raised with ten siblings.

All of Ninfa's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Ninfa experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in track and field, which is how Ninfa met her husband Celestino.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Ninfa was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Ninfa simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Ninfa, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Ninfa's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Ninfa graduated from St. Michael Academy OAS Albay, Philippines. She had already married her husband at age 17. Ninfa returned and completed high school after getting married. Ninfa and her family moved to the United States and settled in Haywood, California in 1960. They remained there until 2004 when they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ninfa never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Ninfa to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Ninfa delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Ninfa was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Ninfa utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Mening Beltrano, Emily Palenski and the entire NBAC members in the SFO Bay Area. Ninfa loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

Ninfa married Celestino Moreno in 1944 in the Philippines and they were married for 68 years until his death in 2010

Perhaps the reason Ninfa related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Ninfa was blessed with five, Mellie, Ed, Will, Dan and Nel. They were also blessed with twelve, Andy, Erick, Eddie, Edwin, Edward, Tashanda, Tanisha, Renee, Dana, Marsha, Christopher and Tiffany. Ninfa had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Ninfa's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Ninfa had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

Ninfa enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Ninfa liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were bowling, going to the movies, bigno, capming, hosting parties, going to the casino playing slot machines ballroom dancing and. Ninfa was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Ninfa had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Ninfa's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. In high school, Ninfa was a member of the NBAC Church prayer group and later in in life she was member at St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Ninfa recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of the Catholic Church from birth. During that time, she was a member of various prayer groups.

Living life in the fast lane suited Ninfa just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included traveling all over Europe, and Asia extensively. Ninfa loved Cruises and Land Town.

Ninfa was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Ninfa's favorites was Lisa a poodle.

Ninfa believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. Her new life involved relocating to Hayward. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Ninfa remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in ballroom dancing ( dinner dance) and folk dancing. Even in retirement, Ninfa continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Ninfa passed away on June 22, 2018 at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is survived by her brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ninfa was laid to rest in Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery in Haywood, California next to her husband Celestino.

Ninfa brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Ninfa Zaragoza Moreno lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.