Florencia Aman Ladines

Florencia Aman Ladines, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at age 88.

Florencia was born on November 20, 1931 in Mauban, Quezon Province in the Philippines to her parents Cirilo Ingles Aman and Severa Trinidad Almira. Part of a large extended family, she was the youngest of four siblings who were orphaned early and raised by uncles, aunts, and cousins. She attended school in Mauban and later studied to become a teacher at the Philippine Normal College in Manila. She left her degree unfinished to marry Ciriaco Luvije Ladines, a WWII veteran and farmer, on October 27, 1952. She would remain devoted to him and their family for the next 68 years.

Affectionately called "Nanay" by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and "Flor" or "Florita" by relatives and friends, she was a meticulous homemaker who enjoyed cooking, baking, cleaning, and ironing, at which she particularly excelled. She worked together with her husband on the family rice and coconut farm in Mauban, supplementing their livelihood by making snacks that she sold to schools and maintaining her own makeshift shop in front of the house to sell farm produce. She and her husband carefully accumulated savings, almost all of which they used to send their children to school, which was paramount for them. 

In 1994, Florencia followed her husband and three daughters to the United States and spent the remainder of her life in Maryland and Florida. In 2014 and 2015, two of their sons and their families also came to the United States to settle in Maryland, bringing her great joy to have her family closer together. As her children worked long hours to build their careers, she frequently became a primary caretaker of her grandchildren, who came to love her Filipino recipes, including lumpia, sabaw, pansit, and something they called "square-square," a dish of minced meat and potatoes and carrots carefully diced into tiny cubes. 

Florencia was always happiest when with family. She loved taking care of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and was particularly excited for larger family events, including visiting her older brother's extended family in Ontario, Canada and traveling to New York to attend Maubanin parties at Christmas and in the summer. She believed deeply in her Catholic faith, coming from a family that included numerous members of the clergy and her own older sister who was a nun. 

Florencia was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Gliceria Aman Bandilla, Sor Marta Aman OP, and Nonelo Aman; and her son Danilo who passed away in 2012. She is survived by her husband Ciriaco; her five children and children-in-law (Juliet, Blesilda and Joseph Lim, Medel and Esperanza Ignacio, Melanie Pangilinan, Cecilia and Wayne Atzrodt, and Alejandro and Lani Anabo); 14 grandchildren (Jacqueline Duran, Joahnna Fournier, Joseph Ladines-Lim, Julius del Rosario, Andrew Ladines, Justine Ladines, Julian Ladines, Meilin Ladines-Lim, Julia Ladines, Sofia Atzrodt, Jian Ladines, Cassandra Atzrodt, Jio Ladines, and Joshua Ladines); and her four great-grandchildren (Andrei Ladines, Juvia Ladines, Clara Fournier, and Asa Fournier).

She will always be missed, and so lovingly remembered.