Carmelita R. Tamayo

Carmelita Regalado Tamayo was born on April 18, 1923 in Kalibo, Aklan Philippines to Daniel Salazar Regalado and Presentacion Melgarejo Regalado. She was the 5th child of 11 children, she had 5 sisters and 5 brothers. She is survived by her 86 year old sister Mariquita, the second to the youngest, from Cotabato, Mindanao Philippines.

It was in high school where she met Rafael Cipriano Tamayo while studying at Kalibo Institute. After high school, she followed her high school sweetheart and moved to Manila and pursued dressmaking as a career and worked as a seamstress. She was very artistic and an expert in embroidery and fashion design. She loved embroidering dresses, pillow cases, table cloths and handkerchief. She can design dresses and make her own patterns by just looking at catalogs. She would create a one of a kind dress and make patterns for friends and family.

She married Rafael and had 2 children, daughter Nenita and son Rolito. After her first child was born, Rafael joined the US Navy. While separated from her husband, she stayed in the Philippines for 12 years while he served the

US NAVY. She loved her family and cared for them as a single mother, before moving to the US. When her husband settled in the US,

she finally decided to join him and made San Diego, Ca. their home. She worked as a seamstress at Ratner Corporation, in downtown San Diego.

Living in San Diego, she devoted all her time and cared for her children as well as her only grandchild. She loved taking care of other children and cared for them as family, calling her “Mama Lola”. She lived her life always thinking and caring for her family. She liked being with them, going to church and eating out to different restaurants every Sunday and holidays. She enjoyed walking at Seaport Village to watch the sea gulls and strolling at Balboa park to admire the Garden and fish pond. She also enjoyed gardening and have beautiful roses in her rose garden. She liked listening to sentimental music and loved dancing as a passion. She would recall good memories in the past and told stories of her family to friends and relatives.

On Friday, December 20, 2019, she passed away at 96 years old in Sharp Hospital. She tried to hold on as long as she could and fought for her life until the end. She will always be remembered as a caring and kindhearted person to friends and family. She is survived by her daughter Nenita Tamayo Elegino, her son Rolito Regalado Tamayo and grandson Nathaniel Thomas Elegino.