Presentacion Flores Brion, 88, passed into eternal life on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025.
Presentation was born to Delfin Baldovino and Carmen (Flores) Flores in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines on June 27, 1936, the Feast of the Mother of Perpetual Help. She grew up in San Pablo along with her brother, two sisters, and extensive extended family before moving to Manila to earn her nursing degree at Chinese General Hospital, graduating in 1957. While working at San Pablo City Hospital she met Plaridel Brion and the two married on January 30, 1971, in San Pablo Cathedral. In late 1972, the couple moved to the United States and settled in St Louis, Missouri, where they would raise their son Giovanni.
Presentacion continued her healthcare career in St Louis, working at Avalon Nursing Home, her brother-in-law’s medical office, Missouri State Hospital, and Metropolitan Psychiatric Center. At each place she developed a reputation for being a caring presence and an effective professional. Exercising her highly-regarded cooking skills, she catered for Filipino parties and events over the years, presenting many delicious foods such as sapin-sapin, kutsinta, puto, lumpia, empanadas, and cathedral window gelatin.
For several decades, Presentacion was an active parishioner at St Mary Magdalen Church in South City. Many activities and interests complemented her strong faith. She traveled widely to visit family and friends and to explore, building memories in places like Chicago, New York, Windsor, Toronto, Houston, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Kansas City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Memphis, Atlantic City, and her native Philippines. She enjoyed gardening in her South City yard, raising flowers, vegetables, and fruit. When not avidly enjoying St Louis Cardinals baseball on the television or radio, she would often play the piano and learn new pieces, even memorizing more than two dozen songs in her later years. Along with a vivid memory full of stories, her warmth, gentleness, and patience were appreciated by friends and family at many meals, parties, celebrations, holidays, and gatherings.
Presentacion was pre-deceased by her husband Plaridel, daughter Maria Teresa, sisters Nenita Flores and Aurora (Ricardo) Palad, brother Delfin, Jr (Luminosa)., nephew Raul, and friend Ched. She is survived by her son Giovanni (Maria Catalina), grandchildren Justin, Jasmine, Josiah, and Joshua, nephews Ruel and Ludel, and nieces Azela, Arlene, and Carmela. She is also survived by numerous cousins, godchildren, in-laws, and extended family such as Jovita Brion, Elise Brion, Sarah Brion, Gene Brion, Noemi Brion, Marc and Jill Centino, the Belen family, and the Cadiz family; friends the Azucena, Amargo, and Decepida families; and her New York friends Lisa, Amada, Gay, and Amy.
Visitation and prayer service will take place on Thursday, May 15, at Kutis Funeral Home’s Affton Chapel, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral mass and burial will take place in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider gifts in memory of Presentacion Brion to the care and education of her grandchildren.