Puring, 1940-2008

Florencia Olino Aguimli, born October 28, 1940 in Urdaneta, Pangasinan died in her home in Quezon City on October 11, 2008. She had a cerebellar infarction 6 weeks earlier. Puring was recruited by my grandmother in 1956 and began staying with my parents shortly after they got married in 1958. She stayed with us ever since.

She met Pepito Aguimli from Abra who worked as a security guard in St. Theresa’s College during those times when she would take my sister to school. They got married and had 2 daughters Bernadette and Arlene.

Puring was the ultimate “all-around”. She wouldn’t be afraid to collect rent from tenants, pay bills, buy produce from the market, adjust waistlines and extend the hems of our trousers, accompany us to Baguio where she would cook delightful meals… had she acquired a visa to the US, she would have gladly followed us and would have taken care of us.

Margarita “Mans” Suarez who cooked for us for forty years and her husband Pepito predeceased her. Along with her daughters, and 2 grandchildren she is survived by us, my parents, my brothers and sisters, Angel “Boy” Suarez, Monina Simbahan and Irene Simbahan.

We are all a sum of the love and care given us by other people. We wouldn’t be who we are were it not for God’s grace to enable others to serve us. Puring was always there and I can’t remember a moment when she failed me or my family. Whenever I would give her a present, a token of how much I appreciated her, her tears would flow unfailingly, as if she was undeserving of gratitude.

This photo was taken when she accompanied us to a resort. So long as Puring was present, you could be assured of a smooth holiday. She was up the earliest and would go to bed last. She was tireless.

Eternal rest grant unto Puring, O Lord.