We all know that Mama Desuyo has had a tremendous impact and spiritual influence on her family and friends. We’d love to hear your stories about Mama Desuyo. Please feel free to share your memories and/or stories with us!
We all know that Mama Desuyo has had a tremendous impact and spiritual influence on her family and friends. We’d love to hear your stories about Mama Desuyo. Please feel free to share your memories and/or stories with us!
The Dollar Store
Spend time with our family and you will eventually hear stories about Mama and her love for the Dollar Store. It’s really cute because she adored the little trinkets you find in there but I think she enjoyed getting out of her day to day routine in the nursing home too.
These last few months Mama has been more persistent on taking those trips to the Dollar Store. I remember one of the last visits I had with her, she was tattling on my dad, Jim, and Auntie Tina for not taking her to the Dollar Store that day.
We all know that THE most important thing to her was her relationship with Jesus Christ and making Him known not just to her family but to her friends and acquaintances as well.
You’re probably wondering what Jesus has to do with the Dollar Store. It’s not the trip to the store or the trinkets that make the Dollar Store an important part of Mama. She’s probably one of the least materialistic people you will ever meet in your lifetime.
Mama loved giving gifts to her family, friends, and even mere acquaintances. She’s made great finds, including her favorite gift giveaway, at none other than…the Dollar Store! Her favorite gift, or trademark gift is the “God’s Book of Promises”.
It was important to her to take that trip to the Dollar Store so she can get hold of that book for her next gift recipient.
If you’ve ever received one of those books from Mama, treasure it, read it….it was a well thought out gift on her part. But most importantly, Mama wants you to know the Savior that she knows!
Every time I saw grandma she told me the same story. Even when she got to the point where she was a little confused about who certain people were as she grew older, she always squinted at me and said “Oh my, is this Ticia?” Then she would tell me the same story about how I yelled at her when I was two. I lived with her and my dad (Sam Jr.) and he used to have to trick me so he could go to work without me throwing a tantrum. He would prop pillows and such so I would think he was still there. She said one day, I woke up as he was leaving. I threw the biggest fit trying to chase him and she slammed the door in my face and said to go back to the couch. I pointed my finger at her and said “GRANDMA, don’t you talk to me like that!!!” It is such a simple story but everytime she saw me, she told it to me like I had never heard it before and her eyes would light up with amusement the same way I am sure it did when it happened. We lived with her for quite a while so my father could continue to work until my mother found suitable living arrangements in California when they chose to move there in 1983. She told me everytime I saw her that she was so happy that year and she would never forget it. It gave us a special bond that was never broken. Even with time and age, the story never faded. She even started to call me Joyce the last few years I had with her because she could not fully remember my name every single time but she never forgot her moment with me. That was her fondest memory of me and the enjoyment I saw her have as she told it was mine with her…
Mama use to watch me when I first found out about my illness. When I was in the 2nd grade I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called Bartters Syndrome. Well my mom took me out of school for a year and that whole year Mama took care of me daily. I remember it like it was yesterday, my daily routine with Mama was redundant. I would always bring my Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. Well the tv in the morning would belong to me, my day would begin watching channel 7 PBS, watching Mr.Rogers neighborhood and shows like Reading Rainbow. When the clock hits 11a.m. guess what time it is ???? Come on dowwwn!!!! You’r the next contestant on the Price is Right!!!! Yea, we would watch Bob Barker together always and at 12 noon we would watch channel 4 news, she always thought Meteorologist George Winterling was handsome, lol anways after the news………..the slowest and boring part of my day was the marathon of Soap Operas she watches in the afternoon. Finally!!! 3 o’clock comes, yay!!! My turn again, She gives me the tv back and I get to watch my afternoon cartoons! I spent alot of time with Mama back then everyday for like a year, What was so great that there wasnt a day, that she didnt mention our Lord and Savior! I went through alot of praying with Mama during those days, everyday we prayed! Regardless knowing how young I was, she still didnt hestitate to share her faith and her love for God! Im grateful for Mama, she has been a great inspiration in my life and I will always cherish the time we have spent together. God used Mama to lead me knowing God, I Know Im not perfect, However I will always know that Jesus loves me and how he sacrificed his life for you and me! I love you Mama! You will always have a special place in my heart!
E-Yam
My last memory of Mama was when we played the guitar for her late one night in the nursing home a couple of months ago. She was obviously tired, falling in and out of sleep throughout our visit. I couldn’t help but wonder how hard it must have been for her to spend the latter part of her life in a nursing home after what she’s been through, especially after going through the loss of a husband and daughter years ago, as well as the passing of Mommy Precious.
But she had no complaints. Her eyelids were heavy, yet her burden was light. Her body may have given up, still her spirit lives on. I know she’s in a better place now, watching over us and still praying for those who still have empty hearts. Because life truly is short.
She never did hear the last few songs I played on the guitar that night. But I know someday she will. And maybe then we could get Ate Leony and Mommy Precious to sing along…
Mama got to spend some nights at my house before she moved to the nursing home. One of the most interesting conversations we had was about her experiences during WWII – Japanese occupation in the Philippines. She spoke about how she and Papa would try to wrap and hide their lovely daughters with a mat (a “banig”) for fear that they would attract attention from the Japanese soldiers who would “search” their house from time to time. The Japanese soldiers were cruel then and they took hostage of anyone they wished. After the Americans liberated the Philippines, an American missionary couple shared the gospel (Jesus Christ, The Truth) with her and that was the start of her personal relationship with Christ.
At church grandma always wanted all her grandkids to hug her.
But when we forget, out of nowhere she will grab the back of our shirts! But i still miss it…
On behalf of our late Mother and Grandma “Yoni’ and my brothers and sisters. We’d like to share these words with all of you.
Over the past years we’ve had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Grandma. We were able to see her more as a person, not just as a grandparent. She shared memories of our mother and kept her alive through these years. Grandma was a simple woman that maintained basic rules of life – integrity, honesty, humor and the love of our God. Those who knew her would say, if you put God in your life first then everything else will follow.
We remember when we first moved here she was our navigation system through God and direction. There were countless times where we were lost and couldn’t find our destination, you can call on her. She always said call me I will lead you, I know all the street names and boy did she know it. Though she didn’t drive, God has given her the Gift of knowing all the paths. It was amazing!
Listening and offering her brand of sound advice and personal wisdom for our life. She was there for all her children. With her advice came with a lecture and that was a price you paid for a lesson in life. Through all these years, I’ve seen and only hear how Grandma touched the lives of not only her family, but the lives of so many in such a positive way. It was a true testament to the way Grandma lived her life.
Having spent these precious and wonderful times with her, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, family gatherings and of course we can’t forget the Dollar Store because she had so many important things to get, she loved the Dollar Store. It was so cute every time she asked to go to the Dollar Store, even if it was only by way of her wheel chair. Another cherished memory was our conversations with her about how she missed our mother and always so happy to be with Yoni’s kids, but really we think it was the Chicken Kelaguen that she so loved to eat.
Although it wasn’t an everyday visit, the time we did spend with her was not only happy times for her, but she also made our time with her joyful. We were able to see how she interacted with people and how they saw her. She was truly loved by everyone. Now we know why our loving Mother was the way she was. So many people have expressed their sadness at her passing. But Grandma always stayed strong and courageous and even when she knew that she was called to come home she maintained her strength to continue living life as she always did. Thanking God every moment and time for all his great work and holding the faith! So many family and friends have shown their love and to all of you we say “thank you”. She was a great source of strength to our family and will be greatly missed.
She has started her new journey and is with our Mother, Grandpa and others. We will continue to move forward in our lives but never forget the memories and those who have gone before us.
In our busy life we sometimes forget how important it is to spend that extra minute with our family and friends. We shouldn’t wait until their gone to let them know how much they mean to us. It is our hope that we were able to let Grandma know how much she meant to our family and that when she started her journey home, she took the love we have for her, with her.
I would like to leave you with these words…….for those you who thought you had enough time!
If we knew we would never hear your voice again, we would cherish your every word….every inflection of your voice with all our heart
If we knew this was our last hug, we would have held you tight and hope to never let go
If we knew this was the last time….the very last time….We would see you, we would take the time to treasure everything about you
If we knew we could never share another day with you, we would make the most of every second.
If we knew your hand would never hold ours again, we would wish this moment would never end
If we knew that our memories of you would be so precious, we would take the time to carefully gather your life story
If we knew we were about to lose your smiles, we would thank you for all the joy you’ve brought to our life
If we knew we had the chance to pray with you one more time, we would take your hands and welcome God’s presence to surround us.
So I leave this thought with all of you, for those who always thought they had enough time.
Grandma, We love you and we are at peace knowing you made your journey home!
Love Always and Forever, Leonie Mayo’s Children