Florence May Dailey

A Loving Mother of 7, Grandmother of 14 and Great Grandmother of 7.

Florence May Dailey (née McDonough) passed away peacefully on January 30, 2021, at the age of 93. She is survived by five of her seven children, 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was born and began life in the Philippines where, at merely 14 years old and surviving under Japanese occupation, she witnessed the hardships and horrors of the Second World War. She bravely joined the resistance and emerged from the war to start her first career as a young, popular film actress known as Flora Mirasol. After a memorable stint in the post-war cinema, she worked as a transoceanic stewardess with Philippine Airlines during the golden age of travel.

In Manila she met her husband, Thomas Alphonse Dailey, Jr., a photographer and cinematographer from St. Claire, Pennsylvania. They enjoyed a 54-year love affair living in the San Francisco Bay Area where they raised seven children: Floranne Kelley (spouse William Kelley) from Nahant, Massachusetts; Patricia Salvo (spouse Todd Salvo) from Longview, Washington; Theresa Marro (deceased) (spouse Dominic Marro); Joanne Burton (spouse John Burton) from Fresno, California; Thomas A. Dailey III (spouse Irene Carpio) from Piedmont, California; Marie Knight from Fresno, California and Norman Dailey (deceased), (spouse Alice Carpio) from Piedmont, California. Throughout that time, Florence supported her young family and continued to work in administrative services for several department stores in San Francisco, as well as the now defunct Trans International Airlines.

Florence delighted in her grandchildren: Joseph Lovoi (spouse Nicolas Tiendas) from Végennes, France; Lee Ann Porter from New York, New York; Christopher Salvo (spouse Alison Van Hoy) from Portland, Oregon; Patrick Salvo (spouse Courtney Fitzgerald) from Seattle, Washington; Jonathan Salvo from Portland, Oregon; Dominique Marro from Laurel, Maryland; Lauren Marro from Portland, Oregon; Jacqueline Salamon Francis (spouse Drew Francis) from Oceanside, California; Erin Salamon Rem (spouse Josh Rem) from Lacey, Washington; Samuel Salamon from Vancouver, Washington; Danielle Padilla DeSilva (spouse Glenn DeSilva) from Benicia, California; Victoria Dailey from Seattle, Washington; Katie Knight from Burbank, California; and Andrew Dailey from Oakland, California.

Her large and international group of friends will remember her sparkling dinner parties and joyful personality. An emblem of Philippine hospitality, she opened her home and heart to all, including extended family who would visit—and stay—for prolonged periods of time. She often acknowledged her good fortune to have lived a immensely full and accomplished life, and never hesitated to express gratitude for the presence, attention and love that she enjoyed in her golden years. With impressive mental acuity, she rigorously maintained a daily regimen that enabled her to preserve beauty, elegance and joie de vivre until the very end. All who knew her remain inspired by her extraordinary life, and the virtues of tolerance, civility and compassion for others that were part of her cultivated upbringing will surely be passed on to future generations

Memorial Mass: Sunday, August 22, 2021, 11:00am at Carmel Mission Basilica, 3080 Rio Road, Carmel, California

memorial service

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Trident Society