Baldomera Marasigan Amurao

The Amurao and Marasigan families mourn the passing of their beloved mother/ grandmother/ great grandmother/ sister, Baldomera Marasigan Amurao. She was born in Batangas, Philippines to Leon Marasigan and Florencia Marquez and grew up to a merchant family with four brothers – Apolinario, Macedonio, Miguel, and Bienvenido — and six sisters – Josefina, Rosario, Jovita, Angelina, Rosita, and Naty. Her oldest sibling, Josefina, married young, so as the second oldest sibling in the family, she left grade school to help her parents with their small business, house chores, and taking care of the seven younger siblings. As a young girl she was a hard worker and resourceful. She traveled to the island of Mindoro to work as a seasonal contract farmer. She sewed clothes by hand to earn money for allowance. She was particularly good at math and had a knack for business.

At twenty-five she married Luis Castillo Amurao. She became a mother to three boys – Vitodesto or Vito, Laureano or Larry, and Nicomedes or Nick. After twenty-eight years of marriage, she became a widow. Her oldest son, Vito, petitioned her to migrate to the United States. In 1983, she started a new life in Los Angeles, CA at the age of fifty-nine.

Baldomera could speak only a little English, but she was not shy to talk to anyone – young and old, rich and poor, friend and stranger. Being an independent woman, she could not just stay home. She enrolled in an occupational program offered by Los Angeles City College for elders. She could not drive, so she learned to take public transportation to go places, or she would walk if the distance was less than five miles. Although her children were against her decision to work, she took menial jobs like cleaning the convent and babysitting. She was frugal – saving and only spending on necessities.

In 1989 she moved to Roseville, CA with Vito’s family. Here she started a new chapter of her life. She became a full-time grandmother and babysitter to Stephanie and Theresa. She met life-long friends, the widow grandmothers of the Filipino Choir families also known as the Golden Girls – Nanay Elisa Robles, Nanay Aurita Valdez, Mommy Anna Valdivia, and Nanay Del Manese. She also went on pilgrimages with her friends to the Holy Land and Italy and frequented the Philippines, London, and Germany to visit family.

Baldomera was a devout Catholic who always greeted you with open arms, a boisterous laugh, and smelling kisses. She enjoyed praying through the day while gardening and taking long walks.

In her early nineties, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dementia and needed to relocate for safety. She made her fourth move, this time to the nearby AAA Care Home facility. She was loved by the residents and caregivers for her happy demeanor and chatty personality. She became the entertainer of the facility.

Baldomera Marasigan Amurao is survived by her two sons - Vitodesto Marasigan Amurao and his wife Mary Christine Amurao, and Laureano Marasigan Amurao (deceased wife, Evangeline Amurao), grandchildren - Stephanie Amurao-Haefke and husband Kristopher Haefke, Theresa Amurao, Larry Owen Amurao and wife Annamarie Amurao, and Nico Amurao, great grandchildren - Hayden Miles Amurao, Kylia Corine Amurao, Kai Haefke, Kaeli Haefke, and Arianna Amurao, sisters - Helen Marasigan Mercado, Jovita Marasigan Mamorno and her husband Romeo Mamorno, Rosita Marasigan Binder and her husband Ralf Binder, nieces -Bonifacia Ordanza, Carmencita Alvarez, Marissa Marasigan, Marilyn Arca, Lala Mamorno, Melissa Soriano, Monini Marasigan, nephews - Jose Alvarez, Manolo Alvarez, Rolando Alvarez, Bonbon Marasigan, Glorito Marasigan, Rowen Mamorno, Rowell Mamorno, Armando Marasigan, Danilo Marasigan, daughter-in-law - Corazon Amurao, wife of her deceased son, Nicomedes.

Baldomera will be laid to rest in Pyramid Memorial Park in Baguio City Philippines. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation to St Rose Church (Mary’s Place Project).