Merly Yamzon

Merly Yamzon, loving wife and mother, passed away at the age of 75 on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at Virginia Mason Hospital, Seattle.

She was born on December 24, 1945 in Catanduanes, Philippines to Miguel and Loreta (Santos) San Juan. Merly obtained a Business Administration degree from Philippine College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines), and on April 16, 1973 married her husband and raised two children. They moved to the United States in 1986 to Seattle, Washington due her husband’s work transfer with the Philippine Consulate.

Merly was the oldest sibling of ten children, often sending money to the Philippines and balikbayan boxes filled with everything you can think of from clothes, shoes, canned foods, and even empty shopping bags that had brand name logos to wow her relatives with.

As a hard working woman, Merly had a full-time job and always a part-time job. At one point, she had two part-time jobs, even though the third income from her wasn’t needed as they were a two income household. But that was the type of person Merly was. She was ambitious and determined to help provide for her family. 

Her favorite past time while she wasn’t working was catching up on her television shows on The Filipino Channel (TFC). If you look at her tv recordings, you will only find her favorite Filipino programs and nothing else. If a recording was not a part of her TFC line up, she will tell you to delete it.

Merly was also a simple woman. She enjoyed her tv programs, cooking in the kitchen, chatting on the phone with her family in the Philippines and colleagues from work, and spending time with loved ones. She used to love collecting Beanie Babies and often gifted them to people.

She was a kindhearted person, quick to forgive, generous, and always put the needs of others before herself. When her husband fell sick, if not at work, she spent all of her time and energy in helping to take care of him. When her husband died, she worked even harder to provide for her family in the U.S. and in the Philippines and asked for little in return. 

Merly was preceded in death by her husband, Valentino, sister, Nelly, and parents, Miguel and Loreta. She is survived by her children, Allan and Michelle, her sister, Evangeline, daughter-in-law, Lorrissa, grandson, Cloud, and several other siblings and relatives in the Philippines.

Merly will be missed, but not forgotten. Her life and memory will continue to be celebrated in our hearts. May eternal rest be granted unto her and through the mercy of God, may she rest in peace.