Rogelia Panaguiton

03/30/1928-08/02/2011
On March 30, 1928 a wonderful woman, my grandmother, Rogelia Pedrola, was born in the town Pototan, Iloilo, in the Philippines. She was the only daughter of Anacleto Pedrola and Apolonia Cordero. Together with her brothers Manuel and Custodio she grew up in Pototan.
In her late 20’s she met and married Marcus Panaguiton. Together they raised seven children, Sonia, Fisvergo, Greggoria, Thomas, Emitario, Jenalyn, and Jean. They raised their family in Marcus’ hometown of Barotac Nuevo.
Marcus was an entrepreneurial at heart and invested money in a small grocery store in Barotac where Rogelia could work. Rogelia, on the other hand was not known for her business savvy skills but rather her incredible generosity. With nowhere else to go, relatives would come to the store and ask Rogelia for food with promises to pay the store at a later time. She never hesitated helping those in need. Unfortunately, this first venture did not survive as the grocery store went out of business, but at least Rogelia knew that her family never went home hungry. Not only did Rogelia offer food to relatives, but she also opened her home to family members attending schools nearby. Because she had the means to help and support others, she gladly did so.
Marcus worked for the Central Santos Lopez Sugar Company. After almost 30 years of service he retired from this position and continued his career for a short period in Guam. During this time, Rogelia raised the children in the Philippines instilling in them the values of discipline, tradition and strong family ties. Like Marcus, she was an effective disciplinarian. Many can still remember the painful pinches she would use to teach her kids (and later her grandkids) a lesson. As the children grew to be adults her fun-loving side became more apparent. For instance, she would tell the family she would go to the store, but much to their surprise she actually went to the neighboring town to join in local festivities and spend time with family and friends.
After his assignment in Guam, Marcus did not return to the Philippines. Instead he took advantage of the opportunity to immigrate to the United States for a better future for his family. His children followed shortly after. Rogelia was the last to immigrate to the US, reuniting with the family in California in 1988.
Upon her arrival in the US, Rogelia immediately began tending to her many grandchildren. During a period spanning over a decade and two countries, Rogelia had a hand in raising all of her grandchildren from Tricia and Mark in Orange County; Krystine, Oliver, Alexander, Chris and Michelle in San Jose; Dale and Caroline in Hawaii and North Carolina; and finally Rachel in Canada.
Rogelia spent most of her time in San Jose where she woke up early every morning, enjoyed her cup of coffee and greeted the family with breakfast to start their day. She enjoyed cooking and often preferred to prepare home cooked meals rather than eat out at a restaurant. Many remember Rogelia’s cooking because she flavored most dishes with her favorite ingredients, ginger and tomatoes.
When she wasn’t cooking, Rogelia liked gardening and spent much time tending to the flowers and the yard. Oddly enough she enjoyed outdoor activities, like gardening, only when it was cold outside. With warmer climates she preferred to stay indoors where she always wore a sweater and socks despite the scorching heat of a San Jose summer. Several people in the family recognized her tendency to only wear winter clothes so she usually received warm sweaters and blankets for Christmas. When she received these gifts, however, she always hid them away intending to wear them later. Unfortunately, Rogelia would let so much time pass that these items became too small or out of fashion giving the family even more reason to continue to buy sweaters. Needless to say, this cycle continued for many Christmases.
After her husband died in April 2008 she came to Canada to join Gregg and her family. After falling ill she spent two years at St. Francis in Bellingham where Gregg, Hymie or Rachel visited her almost daily until August 2, 2011 when she passed away. As we sit here today, we are reminded that Rogelia was very religious and made sure that she never missed Mass. Her spirituality lives on in all those she’s left behind. Her children agree that despite her passing they each have experienced a unique reminder of their mother’s love and continued presence. The legacy she leaves behind is evident in all of those who loved her and whom she loved back. From her children: Sonia, Vergo, Gregg, Tommy, Ging, Emmit, and Jean as well as her grandchildren: Leo John, Amalia, Iris, Noreen, Rose, Tricia, Michelle, Mark, Krystine, Dale, Chris, Oliver, Caroline, Rachel and Alex… we thank our mother and grandmother, Rogelia, for being the constant source of support, love, and necessary discipline. We would not be the people we are without you. Thank you for being with us for so many years. We will miss you dearly.

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