Dona Amalia Flores Ayestas

DONA AMALIA FLORES AYESTAS

Always Loved…Forever Missed…Never Forgotten

Our beloved Dona Amalia Flores Ayestas was born in 1935 in the lush greenery and pastels of the colonial city of Leon, Nicaragua, a city she never forgot and cherished.

Dona Amalia was a very strong willed, decisive, kind, and loving person, devoted mother to her two daughters who survive her, Alba Baltodano and Mercedes Bakhach, as well as her beloved grandchildren Eyad, whom she managed to see graduate form medical school before passing, his brother Omar Helwany, Heba, Shafeek, Kawthar, Abdullah and Obeida Bakhach.

Dona Amalia spent the last thirty years of her life in the loving home of her daughter Alba in Milwaukee, where she was cherished and cared for by Alba and her doting and loving son-in-law Bassam, who used to prepare for her sumptuous meals every night, as well as soups and porridges in an effort to sustain her as her last illness progressed.

In addition to her daughters and grandchildren, Dona Amalia is survived by her beloved nephew Payito, and niece Lucy, whom she both loved like a mother. She also always remembered with great affection her nephews Yader, Porfirio and Julio, all children of her late sister Mercedes. Juan, her devoted nephew from her late brother Julio, also occupied a deep and treasured place in Dona Amalia’s heart. He used to tend to her in the last years of her life, while visiting her beloved Nicaragua.

Dona Amalia was raised by her mother Cristina, a woman of fierce drive and character who instilled in her the value of hard work and sacrifice. Dona Amalia carried on this legacy by becoming a business owner herself and running a successful retail business for more than thirty years, despite suffering from pain and mobility issues for most of her life.

Dona Amalia was a determined single mother who always pushed for her daughters to have the best education and life experiences. Considering the limitations in Nicaragua at the time, Dona Amalia did what few families in Leon could, she sent her two young daughters to America in pursuit of a stronger and brighter future. Her sacrifice paid off and both her daughters finished their college education in America and moved on to productive and fulfilling lives.

Throughout her life, Dona Amalia enjoyed the company of many friends who used to drop by and enjoy her company, conversation and delightful sense of humor. Here in America, Dona Amalia considered Felicia Diamond and her husband Gene Bloom as dear and beloved friends who embraced and welcomed her daughter Alba in their home when she arrived in America as a teenager. Dona Amalia never forgot this gesture of love and generosity on the part of Felicia and Gene and was forever grateful to them. Here in Milwaukee, Dona Maria and her son Frankie provided Dona Amalia with company, conversation, and care that she appreciated and enjoyed immensely. In Nicaragua, Yadira was one of her closest friends. They used to spend many hours talking and reminiscing. One cannot forget Dona Tereza Hernandez who was her best friend for more than sixty years, years in which they shared the happiness and turmoil of living in their native land.

As she reached her golden years, Dona Amalia was a loving grandmother to her grandchildren, who will forever remember her tender and affectionate words “Hija de mi alma,” whenever she hugged and kissed them. Besides being a devout Catholic and enjoying baked pastries, Dona Amalia loved Spanish telenovelas and of course, American wrestling. Her favorite wrestler and actor was always “The Rock” himself.

Nine months after receiving a diagnosis of liver cancer, Dona Amalia passed away in the home of her daughter Alba in Milwaukee on October 14^th, 2021. She breathed her last surrounded by her family. Though she spent her last few days in bed, she was able to kiss her grandchildren and communicate with them, expressing her delight at being with them. Often, when she had little energy for anything else, she would be seen crossing herself and murmuring her recognition of Jesus Christ.

Dona Amalia is preceded in heaven by her parents Cristina Ayestas and Julio Flores, as well as her siblings Corina and Julio Flores, and Dona Mercedes Flores de Narvaez. She is survived by her cousins Elba, Trini, Paquita Ayestas, and Julio Vanegas, all residing in Nicaragua.

We pray that God honors His child and servant Dona Amalia and bring her ever close to Him in heaven.

Mama, abuelita, te queremos mucho, nunca te olvideramos!!!

 Service will be streamed live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MGCPCC or on the parish and school website: mgcparish.org