From the words of Joanne Rae Ramirez, columnist, Philippine Star Newspaper, April 10, 2014 during her eulogy at Donnie Ramirez wake. Farewell, ‘primo’ Donnie In the end, the lively, energetic Donnie Ramirez chose to go quietly into the night, into the light. After more than a month of being in a coma after an emergency brain surgery, Donnie passed on at dawn last Tuesday (the day after his birthday) at the Makati Medical Center. He was 73. He was a popular and well-liked society columnist, but without the airs associated with one who had the power and the privilege of putting people in the limelight. He was accommodating and as many of today’s established lifestyle and entertainment writers will attest, he was nice to them even when they had no bylines yet. Donnie was a livewire, but was never loud. When he wanted to call your attention to something, he would say it in the form of a tease (biro) in his trademark raspy voice, so you would both giggle at his insinuation rather than be offended by it. Donnie called me “prima” because he and my husband Ed shared a surname. I think we shared more than just a surname; we shared the desire to see the half-full glass, rather than the half-empty glass, in people and situations. Donnie co-founded the long-running Bulong Pulungan lunch forum at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza with Letty Magsanoc and Deedee Siytangco in 1986. Deedee says that among the core members, he had the (almost) perfect attendance through the years. Primo Donnie always made me feel that I was a somebody, that I could be the best that I could be. He affirmed me with compliments and praise when he felt I deserved them. Donnie always liked to tell the story of how we were once mistaken as husband and wife during a fam tour sponsored by Singapore Airlines to the Lion City. Too polite to ask, but making sure they were ready just in case, the Shangri-La put us in adjoining rooms, with a locked connecting door. Everyone else was on a different floor. After the trip, Donnie told my husband Ed, “Don’t worry Primo, the door remained locked throughout our stay. Your wife was safe with me!” Godspeed primo! You will make everyone feel safe and special in heaven. (You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.)
Posted on: Fri, 11 Apr 2014 13:10:01 +0000
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