Aurea G. Madelo, resident of Turlock, entered into heavenly rest on November 6, 2023. She lived to be 100 years old.
Aurea was born in the Philippines on July 19, 1923. Her early years were spent in Bohol, a province in the Central Visayas Region of the Philippines. She attended schools in her hometown of Garcia-Hernandez. Into her early adulthood, she moved to Manila. While in Manila, she worked as a nanny for 12 years.
In 1964, she married Silverio Madelo in the Philippines and together they moved to the States where they settled in the rural part of Turlock, California. In 1965, they had their daughter, Adele. Aurea and Silverio operated and owned Airport Market, a grocery store off Lander & Greenway. Aurea worked there as a co-proprietor and grocer from 1964 until 1989. In 1978, Silverio passed away. During this time, Aurea continued to own and operate the store. In 1989, Aurea sold the property and moved to an independent senior living community.
Back in early 1990s, Aurea returned to the Philippines by herself to visit family. Her Filipino nickname was “Auring.” When she moved to Turlock, many people interpreted it as “Irene.” She was deeply loved by many, oftentimes referred to lovingly by other as “Mama,” “Nanay,” “Auntie Auring,” or simply “Auntie.” Aurea had a way with making everyone feel seen and cared for. She was generous, always making sure everyone was well fed. While working at the store, neighborhood kids would come by and say, “Irene, I’m hungry.” She would give them whatever she had in the store. She had an infectious smile and loved to laugh. She was resilient; for example, she would find a way to communicate despite the stroke she had in 2013. When she couldn’t find the words, she would laugh it off. Aurea enjoyed playing the piano by ear, gardening, and watching skating on TV. Prior to the pandemic, she LOVED going to Hometown Buffet. Her vivacious spirit and warm heart will be missed deeply by all.
Aurea was preceded in death by her husband, Silverio L. Madelo. She is survived by her daughter, Adele S. Madelo.
A visitation and recitation of the rosary will be held on Monday, November 13, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Turlock Funeral Home.
A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Turlock. Following the mass, Aurea will be laid to rest at Turlock Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Association in her name, Aurea G. Madelo by visiting: https://pages.heart.org/heartsem_v1/?form=legacy&fe554144=03ecc688a3c5&id-param=sem_honmem
