Lerma Correa Nivera's Obituary
On Thursday, January 19th, 2022, Lerma Nivera, a loving mother of 5 and grandmother of 14, passed away at the age of 73 surrounded by her loving family.
Lerma was born and raised in rural Macalang, Philippines on June 10, 1949, where she resided with her siblings Wilfredo, Dimpna, Ofelia, and Nonilo. She was affectionally referred to as Le or Liit, which is a play on the Tagalog word “maliit,” which translates to “short.” She was a hard-working woman and daughter to Solataria Correa and Santos Correa. Lerma would walk for hours with her siblings and cousins from her rural home to town, where she would attend school.
After high school, she went on to work at a US Military establishment, where she would meet her husband. She was inspired by the US soldiers and always dreamed her children or grandchildren could honorably serve. She and her husband settled their home back in Macalang and worked as farmers as they started their new family. She was a community-oriented woman who shared with those around her. The neighbors always knew that if they needed rice or fish sauce, they could knock on her door, and she would graciously share what she had.
She eventually went on to have five children, whom she loved dearly: Darrell, Samuel, Racquel, Dorothy, and Elma. She dedicated her life to her children and often put their needs before her own. She always ensured they were well-fed before she was. She worked hard to make sure they were well-educated, despite her impoverished upbringing. She valued integrity and fed and clothed her children with money made from honest labor. She would celebrate her children’s birthdays by making them rice cakes from scratch. Through her hard work and the help of her mother Solataria, she was able to send her children to college.
In 1997, she immigrated from Macalang, Philippines to California with her sister Dimpna and her young daughters Racquel, Dorothy, and Elma. Through hard work and dedication, she and her daughters established themselves in this country and eventually gained US citizenship. She has since resided in Fremont, California with her two daughters and loving grandchildren. She happily worked at Fremont hospital where she would get picked up and dropped off often by her affectionate eldest grandson, Rodamen Arreola, whom she was very close with. She always joked that he should stay single forever, or else no one would take her to work or go shopping with her.
Lerma was also very close with her three daughters, Racquel, Dorothy, and Elma. She always knew she could delegate responsibilities to Racquel and Dorothy, and they could be trusted with important matters. In addition, she always confided with her youngest daughter, Elma, and they would talk about things that happened in their daily lives.
In 2000, she welcomed her first grandchild into the world and had many more to follow in the consecutive years to come. She was loved and adored by her grandchildren Rodamen Jr, Dorothy Joy, Diana; Angelee, Giselle; Desiree, Benedict, Caryl, Ardee, Erich, Ritchee; Mariz,
Symoune, and Sam Howie. Lerma had the pleasure of watching her grandchildren grow and become the accomplished and educated young adults she has always dreamed of.
Rodamen Jr (21), her eldest grandson will soon be graduating with his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of California, East Bay next year. Dorothy Joy (19) has just received her Phlebotomy License and will be starting as a full-time Phlebotomist at Quest Diagnostics. Diana (17), Giselle (18), and Caryl (17) will be graduating high school in the Spring of 2023. Angelee (20) is currently attending the University of California, Davis on an ROTC scholarship and serves in the US Army Reserve alongside Desiree (21) and Benedict (19). Mariz (22) will be graduating with her Bachelor’s in accounting in the Philippines and Symoune (20) is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Education. Her younger grandchildren are still attending primary and secondary school; however, she has plowed the way for their academic success and will always be very proud of of them.
Lerma was a woman of devout faith, she raised her children in the Catholic Church and enjoyed going to mass on Sundays. In particular, she enjoyed attending “Misa de Gallo” during the Christmas season with her family. Her hobbies included gardening and tending to her chickens in the backyard. She often would share the fruits and vegetables from her garden with all her children, friends, family, and neighbors. She also enjoyed relaxing to country and Illocano music.
Although she had left the Philippines many years prior, the loved ones she left behind were never forgotten. She worked hard to be able to send balikbayan boxes full of toys, treats, and clothes to her loved ones back home. She would always buy small tokens for her Apo, or neighbors/distant relatives, in the Philippines. Lerma was recently recognized and awarded by the rural Filipino school, to whom she sent toys and school supplies, for all her generous donations. Rather than spend money buying herself material items, it made her happier to give to others in need.
Her dedication to being a caregiver to her loved ones did not go unnoticed, her boss recalls seeing her walking to 7/11 on her 30-minute lunch break to send money to the Philippines. Although this was a long walk, she would still make it back to work on time because she always “walked fast.” She rarely called in sick to work because she enjoyed what she did, always preferring to spend her time working rather than vacationing.
Although she vacationed rarely, she was able to travel to Peru to meet Racquel’s husband’s family and explore the city of Lima. She grew fond of Peruvian culture and cuisine and has always worn her chujito and chalina, also known as the traditional Peruvian hat and scarf, to keep herself warm. She was generous to all those she met, always sneaking a tip to the servers or household staff. But she was never quite as happy as she was when she would travel back to the Philippines, her home. She would gather the impoverished members of the community herself and share a meal. It was during these times that she knew she could truly relax.
Lerma Nivera lived an impactful life that touched the hearts of all those around her and those across the sea. She will not be soon forgotten because of the imprints she has left in the lives of many. To her parents, a bright young daughter with ambition. To her siblings, a lovely sister and shoulder to cry on. To her children, a strong, selfless hard-working mother. To her grandchildren, a generous and loving Lola. To those in the Philippines, a gracious benefactor, and loving community member. To her friends and coworkers, an easy-going and work-oriented woman.
In the days before she passed, many friends and family visited her in the ICU. So many, that the hospital staff had to constantly monitor how many people were in the room to see her. Her family waited for her in the building and prayed for her well-being for hours on end in the cold and rainy weather. She was fiercely loved, and she is dearly missed.
Lerma Nivera’s spirit continues to live on in the hearts of many, and her legacy will continue as a generous and hard-working woman. May her soul rest in peace, we love you so much, Lola.
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