Elvira M Pangilinan's Obituary
On February 13, 1946, God blessed the arrival of Elvira Carreon Macalino, lovingly known as Elvie. She was the second child of Jose Daré Macalino (Tatay) and Natividad Dizon Carreon (Nanay), born and raised in the vibrant city of Caloocan, Manila, Philippines. Elvie's life was enriched by the love and support of her eight siblings: Teresita (Cita), Renato (Boy), Leticia (Letty), Jesus (Jesse), Mario, Amelia (Mely), Daniel (Marlon), and Ferdinand (Ferdie). As Tatay worked hard as a train engineer, Nanay lovingly tended to the household and their nine children, with the help of the three eldest daughters.
Elvie was a quiet and introspective sibling, always striving for excellence in school. She cherished her time with Nanay, acting as one of her sous chefs by assisting Cita with the daily palengke shopping, vegetable cutting, and shrimp peeling. When not busy with her studies or household chores, she could be found singing her younger siblings, Mely, Marlon, and Ferdie, to sleep, alongside Cita and Letty. As Elvie pursued her Bachelors in Economics at Far Eastern University in Manila, she remained close to her loved ones. Weekends were reserved for fun outings with her younger siblings, making memories at the movies, shopping trips, and day trips to Antipolo.
In 1975, life presented a new chapter as Tatay immigrated to America, followed by Elvie, Mely, and Marlon. The following year, Nanay and Ferdie immigrated to the states and reunited with Tatay and siblings in Oakland, California. Elvie's determination and ambition led her to a successful career at Pacific Bell (later AT&T), where she retired after over 20 years of service. Her role in configuring Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks was a remarkable achievement, shaping the future of network data transmissions.
In 1978, Elvie married Rolando (Rolly) Pangilinan. They were blessed with two wonderful sons, Sean Paul (1979) and Ronald Francis (1987). As her boys grew, Elvie filled their home with love and joy. On the weekends Sean and Ronald were awakened by Elvie belting Stevie Wonder's hits and ABBA melodies on the Karaoke machine, making weekends unforgettable. Decorating the house for holidays and taking road trips to Knotts Berry Farm, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Mendocino, Yosemite, San Diego Safari, Scandia, Vegas, Reno and Tahoe became cherished family traditions. And when she was not on a family road trip, Elvie would be found sewing decorative curtains, altering clothes for the family, or making comfort unan and kumot for Ronald.
Later in life, Elvie embraced the role of a mother-in-law to Caroline (2009) and as a grandmother, showering her granddaughters, Eve (2016), Vivienne (2018), and Clara (2020), with gifts, love, and affection. But it wasn't just her granddaughters who received her affection; Elvie had a heart full of love for her extended family, generously showering them with thoughtful gifts and tokens of love from her favorite store, the Home Shopping Network.
Life brought challenges, but with the help and support of her siblings, Elvie faced them with grace and resilience. After an accident, she found solace living with Cita and her family in Oakland, where she helped care for Nanay during her final years. In 2020, she joined her siblings in Las Vegas for their retirement, enjoying their time at the casino slot machines and buffet outings.
As she approached her final days, Elvie eagerly anticipated her great-niece's wedding reception, which served as an unofficial Macalino family reunion. However, on July 21, 2023, Elvie reunited with her heavenly family - God, Nanay, and Tatay. Her journey may have ended, but the warmth of her endearing spirit will forever be cherished by her immediate family - Sean, Ronald, Caroline, Eve, Vivienne, and Clara, as well as her eight brothers and sisters, 22 nieces and nephews, 29 grandnieces and nephews, and one great-grandniece. In the hearts of those who knew her, she will be remembered as a beacon of love and generosity.
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