Rosalinda Mejia Balanga

Rosalinda was born on June 18, 1949 in Manila, Philippines to Agustin and Alejandra Mejia. She was the youngest of 9 children in the Mejia family, earning the nickname “Bot” for loving to drink from a bottle till her adolescence. Rosalinda was very intelligent and graduated from the University of Manila, Philippines, in 1967 with honors as salutatorian earning her Bachelor of Science in Early Education. Rosalinda was a very religious devout Catholic and loved God and Our Mother Mary. She wanted nothing more than to pray and to be close to God. She was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, auntie, daughter, sister, niece, Godmother, and friend. Rosalinda loved nature and enjoyed spending the summers camping at Yosemite with her family. She also enjoyed going to theme parks, Disneyland being her favorite. In 2008, at the age of 58, she was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease, but she didn’t let that define her. Her sickness only strengthened her faith and brought her closer to God. In October 2017, despite her physical disabilities and fear of flying, she journeyed to the Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse (The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal) in Paris, France, and to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Lourdes, France, to fulfill her faithful promise to the Blessed Holy Mother and God. Rosalinda was simple, humble, smart, self-less, generous, kind, sweet, soft-spoken, strong-willed, courageous, beautiful inside and out, and perfect in every way. She was a saint and now a guardian angel to all.

“Life is struggle for perfection and that perfection is a complete faith in the Supreme Being” - Rosalinda S. Mejia, 1967

Rosalinda is survived by her beloved husband Phillip B. Balanga, Son Phillip M. Balanga and Son-in-law Bryan T. Hoerber, daughter Roxanne M. Schaffer and Son-in-law Thomas J. Schaffer, and grandchildren, Alereese C. Gonzalez; Jordan K. Schaffer; Kaitlin (Katie) S. Schaffer; Mateo R. Humphreys; and Taylor R. Schaffer, daughter Veronica B. Rivera and Son-in-law Juddson B. Rivera and grandson Samuel Hudson B. Rivera. She is also survived by her oldest sister Rosario (Rose) G. Domingo and brother-in-law Placido (Cid), older brother, Teofilo (Feling) Mejia and sister-in-law Leonila (Lee), and older sister Remedios (Remy) Mejia. She was also niece-in-law to Lita Santamaria. Sister-in-law to Aurora Gonzalez and her husband Francisco (Paco), Sister-in-law to Emerinciana (Emma) Mapa and her husband Raymond (Ray), Sister-in-law to Zenida (Ida) Gueco and her husband Lorenzo (Boy), and sister-in-law to Angeles (Leng) Lockard and her husband Jerry. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and Godchildren.