Hello Everyone! My name is Dulce. I am the eldest grandchild of Isabel. You know growing up I hated my name because Dulce means Candy or Sweet and I was teased by kids from school or playmates that one day an army of ants will come and eat me. I asked my mom why she has given me that name and she told me that grandma is the one who has given me my name. One day, grandma came to visit us and I asked her why that name? She looked at me and said the first time I held you, you smelled so sweet… so that’s where Dulce came from. I want to thank you all for coming. Your attendance here speaks volumes about the impact that this wonderful woman had on all of us.

Grandma was a full time mother and she raised her four children (Enrico, George Jr., Ma. Luz and John) with our Grandpa George Sr.

Some of you knew her as Mom, Great grandma, Mama Bel, Mamang, Belle, Miga, or simply Sabel. I am sure they called her many things over the years. To me and her 8 other grandchildren (Karen, Rommel, George III, Alryan, Jim, Iron, Franco and John) she was simply our Mama Sabel and to all of us, she was pretty an amazing lady.

To highlight this, I reached out to my cousins and asked them a pretty simple and straightforward question: What are the 3 words that you would use to describe Grandma?

Their responses, while simple, begin to paint a detailed portrait of a woman we all knew and loved. I will read them out to you and highlight a few of them.

-Loving

-Very Understanding

-Considerate

-Selfless

-Nurturing

-Thoughtful

-Generous

-Compassionate

-Supportive

-Caring

-Kind

Grandma was unbelievably compassionate. Her heart and generosity knew no bounds. Her door was always open. Neighbors, friends, immediate family and relatives all knew they had a place to stay for a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days, to enjoy her hospitality and her generosity and her infamous uhhhh….. pancit molo ( a local soup always served at grandma’s house when there is a gathering). The door was always open for everybody.

I particularly remember that she always made sure to send us her notes of love. At every Birthday, every Christmas, Valentine’s day, Mother’s day, Grandma made sure we received a note of her love or phone call of her love. It was something that we looked forward to and got excited about.

I’ve seen the funniest side of grandma. As we all know grandma was a widow for such a long period of time and when she found a new love through Jim, she will tell me all the stories about it. I will see her giggle like a teenager, smile, making hand gestures while telling me the story and I will always laugh at the top of my lungs but she made me realized that love has really no boundaries at all. Thank you Jim for making my Grandma happy and for the love.

Grandma wouldn’t want a big “to do” for her funeral. I think she’s glad that we’ve come together as family and friends to celebrate her life because togetherness is what she always wanted and loved the best.

To finish, she had a solid 83 years. I think she’d be pleased to see how life came full swing. I don’t think there’s anything else she would have wanted to accomplish in her life. This is her legacy. We are her legacy. I love you Grandma. You will be missed.