Amelia Mamaril's Obituary
On November 8, 1946, Amelia Balignasa Balmediano was born in Pasig, Rizal (Philippines). She was the seventh out of eight children born to Gregoria Balaoro Balignasa and Epefanio Garcia Balmediano. While growing up in the Philippines, she graduated from Pasig Rizal High School. She had dreams of pursuing college and becoming a civil servant; however, destiny had other plans for her. Since her father had served in the United States Army, he had persuaded her to come to the U.S. to discover the different opportunities America had to offer. She had older brothers already in the States; however, she would have to leave her mother and youngest brother, Rodolfo (aka Rudy) behind….for now.Amelia’s first footstep into the United States would be in San Francisco, California during the mid to late 1960’s. She initially stayed with one of her brothers then later with friends. She was able to secure a job at the United States Postal Service, completing 39 years of exemplary service to the organization. Due to her highly organizational skills, she was able to promote up from the processing of mail during the graveyard shift to helping customers, worldwide, in the claims department to seek out lost mail/packages.During Amelia’s early years in the United States and while working in the Postal Service, she eventually met the love of her life, Bernard Anor Mamaril through mutual friends. They later married on July 13, 1968 and welcomed their first child, Emily, in November that same year. Their second child, Edwin, was to follow in April of 1971. With hard work and determination, they bought their first home below Southern Hills (the cusp of Daly City and San Francisco, also now known as Geneva Terrace). During the early 1980’s, Amelia and her family moved out of the San Francisco area to Hayward, CA for warmer weather and away from the city congestion.Amelia’s true passion was being able to help when the need arose whether it was to have a family member or friend stay in their home, volunteering to take on additional projects at work, or volunteering at church functions with her Santo Ninyo group at her parish of St. Joachim’s Church. Her other most favorite thing to do was hold the annual family Christmas gathering in her home, seeing Bernard and her nephews/nieces grow-up and continue to expand the family tree was always a delight….especially when it came time for the family photos. Although, she would hold the annual family Christmas gathering, she was never short of inviting friends outside of the family to join in the festivities.Throughout her life, Amelia showed such sheer determination and strength to move forward despite the many tragedies that befell her: from the fall of her son, two-stories down from a window to the cement of their driveway home; a horrendous motor vehicle accident that almost left her paralyzed for several months; the unexpected loss of her beloved son; the loss of the love of her life; and the six-year battle with cancer, with which she eventually lost on the afternoon of March 19, 2019.Amelia is survived by her daughter (Emily), son-in-law (Raldy), grandchildren (Kenji and Bernadette), her siblings (Wilifredo-“Fred”, Wilson-“Willie”, and Rodolfo-“Rudy”), her sisters-in-law (Concepcion-“Conching”, Avelina-“Ava”, Evelyn, Rosemarie-“Rosie”, Corazon-“Cora”, Luzviminda-“Minda” and Zenaida-“Zeny” ), her brother-in-law (Rodrigo-“Rudy”) and 30+ nephews/nieces.Although, this is a time of mourning for the family and friends who are experiencing the loss of Amelia; this is also a time of celebration to wish her much deserved happiness and joy as she no longer suffers the enduring pains she experienced over the past several years and now rejoins those she has been longing to reunite with: Bernard (her love), Edwin (son), Mamang (mom), Papang, (dad), Nanang (her mom’s sister), her siblings (Mariano, Jose-“Joe”, McArthur-“Arthur” and Gloria), as well as other family members and friends who have gone before her. May she rest in eternal peace.
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