Jovita Morales Maningding

Jovita Lalas Morales Maningding was born in Golden Mapandan, Pangasinan Philippines on February 15, 1937. The eldest of the seven, “Betty” as she is fondly known is a caring and loving sister and a voice of reason to her younger siblings. At 20 years old, she married her childhood sweetheart, Anselmo Cuison Maningding. She studied to become a nurse, however with the demand of motherhood, she switched her studies and finished with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1965. After graduation, Betty started her teaching career in Nilombot Elementary School while collaborating with the few influential people for our community to have Golden Primary School. In 1968, Betty was appointed at Golden Elementary School along with two other teachers and taught for 25 years. On November 17,1993, she retired from teaching and moved to Vancouver BC, Canada. At the age of 56, she chose not to work, so she can look after her grandchildren in Canada and US.

Betty is a well versed in her family ancestry and the history of Mapandan. She’s the Alexa or Google in the family. She enjoyed telling stories of the past and present and adds humor to it that makes everyone laugh out loud (LOL) in the room. She is “Mamo” to everyone.

On her last few days in the hospital, she started calling out names of her relatives, friends and her students and to convey that she’s leaving. She said not to cry when she’s gone but it’s okay to shed tears that will flow on your cheeks because it’s a sign of our love to her. Her countless thanks to Vancouver General Hospital particularly to Dr. John Duncan, Dr. Michael Copland, to the Hemodialysis team lead by Jessel Espinoza and to Dr. Edward Dubland, her family doctor for 30 years.

She is preceded in death by her father, Catalino Morales, Sr. her mother Mercedes Lalas Morales, her husband, Anselmo, her second eldest daughter Mina joy, her brothers Nejemias Sr. and Abraham and her sister Enriqueta. She is survived by her sister Nora, brothers, Catalino Jr. and Jesus, her 7 loving daughters, 5 sons-in-law, 14 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

“You never said I’m leaving, you never said goodbye. You were gone before we know it, and only God knew why. A million times we needed you, a million times we cried. If love alone could save you, you never would have died. In life we love you dearly, in death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a place that no one could ever fill. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone. For part of us went with you, the day God took you home.” Author Unknown.

Thank you to all who have touched our lives during this difficult time for our family and to Jeremy of ELEMENTS for helping us on mom’s funeral arrangements.