Pacita Velasco

Pacita Velasco, age 96, of Jersey City; formerly of Manila, Philippines; entered into eternal rest on July 21, 2024 surrounded by her loving family. 

Pacita Barbaza Laconico Velasco, better known as Mommy Chot or Tita Pachot, Tita Chit, was a caring and loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Tita, a friend to everyone she met and the life of the party. She passed away in her sleep at the age of 96 in the comfort of her home in the presence of her daughter.

She was born in Manila, Philippines on September 9th, 1927. 9 was her lucky number.

Pacita was always a hard worker, starting work at the age of 16 as a secretary where she learned typing and stenography before moving on to work for the Military Police Command in the Philippines, where she met her husband Napoleon Velasco. Together they had 5 children (Francis, Valerie, Michael, “Fia” Fiammetta, & Vivian), 10 grandchildren (Jennifer, Lawrence, Napoleen, Patricia, Randy, Kyle, Justine, Sarah, Daniel, & Kevin), and 1 great grandchild (“Rainey” Loraine), all of whom she prayed for every day.

While raising her children, she continued to work as an Office Manager at Union Insurance Group in Manila. She moved to NYC in 1985 after working hard to send and follow her 4 children ahead here accompanied by their father. While in New York she worked with a placement agency for 2 years, braving the subway to Grand Central Station. Once in the US, one of her best friends asked her to move out to Reno NV, and fell in love with the Biggest Little City in the World! Her eldest son, Francis, followed her there to settle down with his family. There she worked at Western Union for 9 years until the office close down. Even after retiring, she began working as a cashier at the Atlantis Casino and running the carousel at the children’s arcade at Boomtown Casino, working back-to-back shifts until she was 80 years old. She loved her work as it kept her young, being surrounded by the teenagers working there who adored her and her ability to keep the horses shining.

She wasn’t all work though, because as many of you know, Pacita loved poker, dancing and celebrating with friends. Whether at a party or a wedding, you could always find her cutting it up on the dance floor until the music stopped. Even into her last years, she would spend time teaching the cha-cha to the nurses and aid workers at the nursing home and rehab center.

Visitation is Friday, July 26th, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Riotto Funeral Home & Cremation Company, 3205 Kennedy Blvd. Jersey City, NJ.  (For GPS navigation, it is best to use our parking lot address: 14 Stagg Street).  Funeral is Saturday, July 27th, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at the funeral home.  Funeral mass is at 11:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Church, 3026 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City.  Cremation will be private.  Family requests in memory of Pacita if you can wear purple and/or white attire.