Flordeliz R. Paloma

Flordeliz "Amy" Paloma

1941-2020

     The angels in heaven met someone new on the morning of July 26 when Amy Paloma, 79, of Rosedale passed away of natural causes.  Amy was born in 1941 to Gregoria and Manuel Rodriguez Sr. in Puerto Princesa on the beautiful island of Palawan in the Philippines.  After graduating from Letran College at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Amy immigrated to the US in 1964.  She moved to Baltimore after living in Trenton for a few years.  It was here that Amy met US Navy sailor Nestor Paloma, and in 1973,  she promptly agreed to marry him (upon his fifth marriage proposal).  Always one to find a bargain, Amy gave birth to twin sons Mike and Mark in August of 1974.  Three years later in July 1977 she gave birth to her only daughter Marjorie.  Amy is survived by Nestor, Mike, Mark, and Marjorie, as well as two wonderful grandsons, Laszlo and Xavier. She is also survived by two sisters, Rosabella and Edelmira, and her brother Manuel, Jr., as well as a legion of friends. 

     A generous person, one of Amy's favorite pastimes was bargain shopping all year long for presents to be given at Christmas, a birthday, or any day of the year.  Amy was an enthusiastic fan of all sports, some of her favorites being tennis, football, and baseball.  Her favorite athlete was Baltimore Orioles pitcher and Jockey underwear model Jim Palmer.  One cannot name Amy's favorite things without mentioning travel.  Amy and Nestor vacationed around the world with their friends, visiting foreign cities, sharing beautiful sights, and returning, always, with souvenirs from exotic locales such as Oberammergau, Venice, and the Poconos.  

     Amy was no stranger to hardship.  She survived the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and the subsequent death of her father in the 40's, immigration to a new country during the tumultuous 60's, separation from her beloved Nestor during the Vietnam War in the 70's, and a decade-long perm during the 80's.  During these hard times and all through her life, one thing remained constant: Amy's unyielding zest for life and the desire to maintain joy and levity within that life.  She worked three jobs at times as a medical technologist, but still shopped, spectated, and traveled. 

     One thing she always said was, "Mag ingat ka," which can be loosely translated to mean something like, "be careful," "take care," or "stay alive."  Amy would tell you that yes, it means all of these, but when she said it, she was encouraging others to "work hard, plan well, and stay safe, so you can live this life exactly how you want to live it."  The real sentiment of her most common saying, and the manner in which she lived her life, can be summed up in three little words: "Go for it!"

     A brief blessing and prayer will be given at a committal service on Thursday, July 30 at 10:45 AM in the Resurrection section of St. Joseph's Fullerton Cemetery at 8420 Belair Road.  All are welcome to attend, with the understanding that physical distancing and safety measures must be maintained at all times.  It is understood that during this time of uncertainty many of those who wish to attend may choose not to, or are not able.  A celebration of life will be held at a future, safer time - information forthcoming.

     In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Amy's name to her parish, St. Clement Mary Hofbauer or the local chapter of the American Heart Association http://stclementmh.org/donate/      https://www.heart.org/en/affiliates/maryland/greater-baltimore

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