Thomas Valencia Mayor, Sr., 103, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 13, 2023, in his home in Mesa, Arizona.
Born on September 18, 1919, in Pampanga, Philippines, to Pedro and Maxima Mayor, Thomas was the second of five children. He has two children from his first marriage to Rosela Nanquil Mayor and helped raise the two daughters of his older sister upon her death.
Thomas worked for the Philippine government at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in Manila for several years.
He was a widower of nearly 14 years when he met and married his second wife, Honey Digdigan Mayor. Thomas and Honey immigrated to Los Angeles, California in 1970, where they settled and raised their four sons.
Tom Sr. was skilled in carpentry and was a handy man around the house. He enjoyed gardening and loved to plant vegetables. He often planted rose bushes as part of his devotion to the rosary and the Virgin Mary. He also gave free haircuts to his friends and family. Tom Sr. was loved by many people and has touched many lives. He was a devoted Catholic and a prayerful person who volunteered countless hours at their parish community of St. Gregory in Los Angeles before moving to Mesa, Arizona.
Tom Sr. and Honey enjoyed travelling together immensely and had the opportunity to visit Manila several times, several countries in Europe, the East Coast and the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico. He had an affinity for visiting Las Vegas and had a favorite slot machine at the Fitzgeralds Casino. Their latest adventure was a cruise to Alaska last year when Tom Sr. was 102 years old.
He was a man of few words but will quickly greet anyone with a ready smile and one-liners such as, “Be happy!” and “Enjoy the spirit of human life!” He often liked the element of surprise whether at a garage sale or at a casino - “You never know, it’s a game of chance!”
Army Sergeant Thomas Mayor served from 1941-1945, with B Collection Company, 31st Medical Battalion, 31st Division of the Philippine Army under the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) during WWII. He was a prisoner of war (POW) and was among the captured soldiers who were forced to walk 65 miles by the Japanese military, which came to be known as the Bataan Death March.
In October 2017, Sergeant Mayor and families of survivors of the Bataan Death March were invited to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. in order to be honored for their service and sacrifice to the United States during World War II. Nearly 75 years after the horrific Bataan Death March and nearly a year after the Filipino World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 was signed into law, a single Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) was symbolically presented to the Filipino veterans of World War II collectively. Sergeant Mayor and other living veterans or their next of kin were presented bronze replicas of the single Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) through the fundraising efforts of FilvetREP.
At 103 years old, Thomas was the last known oldest survivor of the Bataan Death March.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Honey; his children, Iluminada Toledo, Atanacio, Raymund, Thomas Jr., Artemus, and Peter; nieces, Lita Lumanlan and Paz Dizon; 23 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren.
Thomas resided in Mesa, Arizona at the time of his passing. Arrangements are under the care of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, California.
