OLONGAPO CITY — Residents of this city are mourning the death of its first female mayor who died the other day due to natural causes.

Amelia Juico-Gordon, mother of Senator Dick Gordon, passed away the other day at the age of 89.

A tireless public servant, elected as the first woman mayor of this city following the assassination of her husband and then City Mayor James Gordon Sr. in 1967, Gordon was the Assemblywoman in the Batasan Pambansa in 1984.

She continued her life of service in the private sector, advocating the protection and promotion of the welfare of the needy and abandoned children, legally adopting 54 children as her own.

She was also the founder of Olongapo Boys Town and Girls Home, and founded several other civic organizations such as the Olongapo City Civic Action Group (OCAG), the Iba-Olongapo Catholic Women’s League, and the Olongapo City Red Cross where she also served as chairperson for 28 years.

In recognition of her humanitarian pursuits, her dedication to children and adoption, and her lifelong work for the cause of abandoned Filipino children of American descent, Gordon became the second Filipina recipient of the Pearl S. Buck International Woman of the Year Award in 2002.

According to those close to her, she lived a full life, affecting positive change in the lives of so many people, and inspiring and enabling countless more to live as human beings deserving of dignity and respect.

She is survived by her children Veronica Gordon-Lorenzana, Barbara Gordon-Delos Reyes, Cecille Gordon-Mullen, Senator Richard Gordon, Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. and Imelda Deza.

Wake will be at Santuario De San Antonio, Forbes Park in Makati, which started Wednesday until Thursday night. She will then be transferred to this city on Friday, November 20.