Aurora Villacorte Mendoza

Our mother and grandmother, Mommy Lola, Rory, reunited with her dear husband Ernie, our Daddy Lolo, in the early hours of Saturday, July 31, 2021. She was, what we called our 'beauty'. She was heartwarming and kind, at once welcoming and strong who always made you feel that her home was your own.

A smart, humble, and hard-working woman, Aurora was born in the family hacienda in the tiny town of Pinaod, San Ildefonso in Bulacan, Philippines, about 50 miles north of Metro Manila on May 14, 1930 to Ceferino Villacorte and Leonor Villaroman. She was the 3rd of 11 children and was fondly called 'Ditse', a common name for the 2nd oldest daughter. She was a resourceful child, even learning to read, write and speak Nihonggo when the Japanese regional military commander took their home as the local quarters during WW2 allowing her family meager income and some safety during the war.

Rory graduated with a degree in Commerce from the Far Eastern University in 1952 thru an academic scholarship and completed her Masters in Public Administration in 1968. In her prime, she was the Chief Accountant at the Philippine Commission of Audit, responsible for auditing budget expenditure of the Philippine government for nearly a decade in the late 1970s/1980s. In 1987, then in her 50s, she followed Daddy Lolo to Los Angeles, CA, bravely starting anew, working various jobs until she became an accountant at the LA County Department of Aging - ironic, as she and her husband were forever youthful working well into their late 60s/early 70s. As a hobby, she sketched and painted. Her home was always filled with works in progress of water color paintings of flowers and birds, portraits of her loved ones, and many charcoal sketches.

Mommy Lola was the yin to Daddy Lolo's yang. She was the serious to his goof, the elegant to his casual and together they were a charming pair even as they individually shined. And for 63 years until his passing in December 2018, they were the happiest together.

She is survived by her sisters Alejandra and Iluminada and her children – Agnes and her children Vincent and wife Yasmin, their children Isabella, Alessandra and Joaquin; Nicole and husband Kenny. Ernesto Jr. and wife Annie, their children Siegfried and wife Becca, their children Axel and Althea; and Siegmund. Nanette and husband Joel, their children Mark and Rachel. Raymund and wife Wynn and his children Lawrence and Zarina. Lenie and husband Pancho, their children Carl, Lance and daughter Ava; and Miguel. Zekky and wife Mila. Noralyn and husband Richard and their children Justin, Tristan and Lauren.