Elmer Monserate Moran

To Elmer Monserate Moran, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Elmer, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Elmer really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Elmer was born on April 5, 1944 at Naga City Hospital in Naga City, Philippines. His parents were Sulpicio and Purificacion Moran. Elmer was raised in Balaton, Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, Philippines. Even as a child, Elmer had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Elmer was easy going and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Elmer managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Elmer was raised with nine siblings. He had 4 older sisters, Zenaida, Flerida, Yolanda, and Erlinda, two younger sisters Minda, Nita, Marilyn, and Mildren and a younger brother, Ramon.

All of Elmer's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Elmer experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in basketball. He was a member of the Glee Club. In his spare time he liked pocketbooks and reading the Bible.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Elmer was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Elmer simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Elmer, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Elmer's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Elmer graduated from Ateneo de Naga in 1956. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Math and Science.

Elmer never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Elmer to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Elmer delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Elmer was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Elmer utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Salvador Bongat, Angel Bolante, and Orlando Bongat. Later in life, he became friends with Marcelo, Tejo, Sando, Prudencio, Ruben and Amado. Elmer loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Elmer very easy to approach. On December 4, 1970 Elmer exchanged wedding vows with Aida Marzan Olivar at Manila Courthouse of Manila, Philippines. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Elmer related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Elmer was blessed with 5 children (all boys), 5 sons, Eric, Richard, Michael, Ricky, Sulpicio(deceased) and Elmer Jr. They were also blessed with 12 grandchildren, Micka, Abigail, Tyler Jacob, Michelle, Robin, Vince, Mc'Kie, Mc'kiel, Mike, JC, JM, and Harvi. Elmer had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Elmer's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Elmer had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

Elmer liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Elmer was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Elmer's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Elmer as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Store/Supermarket Manager. He was employed for Souk's Supermarket, Saudi Arabia.

Elmer enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Elmer liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were playing Mahjong, singing in karaoke, and playing his guitar. Elmer was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Elmer felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Elmer loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Elmer relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Elmer never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Elmer played basketball. Elmer was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were all ball games.

Elmer had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Elmer's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. In high school, Elmer was a member of the Glee club.

A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, Elmer often found himself involved in activities he deemed important. He was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer. Politically, Elmer was a strong supporter of the Nacionalista Party.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Elmer recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of Jesus Is Lord for 6 years.

Elmer was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Elmer's favorites was his dog, Rocky. They were best friends for 8 years.

Elmer believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2002, Elmer took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Las Vegas. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Elmer remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in staying active in church. Even in retirement, Elmer continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Elmer passed away on October 14, 2010 at Nathan Adelson Hospice, Las Vegas, Nevada due to chronic effect of diabetes. He is survived by his wife, Aida, his children Eric, Richard, Elmer Jr., Michael, his 12 grandchildren, his brother and 8 sisters. Services were held at Palm Mortuary-Eastern. Elmer was laid to rest at the Palm Valley View Cemetery, Las Vegas Nevada.

Elmer brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Elmer Monserate Moran lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Funeral Home, Las Vegas, NV.