Mariaflor Alaras Reolada passed away March 5, 2024 in Dallas, Texas at the age of 77. She was born to Romulo and Tarcela (Pujante) Alaras on January 31, 1947 in Northern Samar, Philippines.
Mariaflor was the 6th out of 15 children. She cherished many childhood memories of helping her parents with the younger siblings. They shared their favorite past time with the love of music, singing, playing instruments and dancing.
Mariaflor graduated from Christ the King College with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She met Rogelio (Roger) Reolada, Sr, an optometrist, in July 1973. They got married on January 26, 1974. They were blessed with three sons - Jonas, Jowell and Jon. Roger and Mariaflor raised their family in a small town of Rizal in Laguna, Philippines where Roger grew up. In the neighboring town of Sta. Isabel, Mariaflor was teaching for 25 years in Science, Art, Health and Physical Education.
In 1994, the family migrated to United States with the first stop at Northern California but decided to move and make Dallas, Texas their home. She wanted to be close to her brother Jose (Pepe). Nanay Flor, as she was fondly called by her family and friends in Dallas, was full of life and love. Even in the later years of her life, she was working and still managed to be with her grandchildren and babysitting them. Nanay Flor enjoyed sharing her talents of baking, cooking, organization skills, sewing, and creativity to the community. She volunteered at Philippine Community Center, Inc. (PCCI), an organization servicing Filipino American community in North Texas region. She likes the program that provides opportunities for empowering individuals and the collective spirit.
Nanay Flor travelled with her siblings and sisters-in-law to different places in Europe. She went to London, Lourdes, Paris, Fatima and Rome. One of the occasions she traveled to Rome was to attend Father Pertz, her nephew’s priesthood ordination. She made an effort to visit and stay connected with her siblings and relatives in the Philippines and other parts of the world.
Nanay Flor loved her family and friends and she expressed this with baking and cooking for them Filipino dishes and delicacies of palitaw, puto, kutsinta, turon, ube halaya and cassava cake. She has been a shining example to people around her with her generosity, thoughtfulness, independence, reliability, industrious, conscientious, sense of humor and untiring love.
Mariaflor is survived by her sons, Jonas Reolada and wife, Maria Vivette of Allen, Texas, Jowell Reolada and wife, Lorianne of Dallas, Texas, and Rogelio Jon Reolada, Jr. of San Diego, California; grandchildren, Julianne Mariebella, Vea Florianne, Elijah Anthony, Angelica Ji-anne, Aubrianne Joelle, and Annelise Justyne Reolada; Sister Alma Alaras and a host of other loving family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rogelio Reolada, Sr.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 15, 2024 at St. Jude Catholic Church in Allen, Texas. The family will receive guests for a visitation from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., with a rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 14, 2024 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas.