Naomi Mañago Yapo's Obituary
Naomi Mañago Yapo has left us to be with our Lord on September 4, 2017. She is survived by her loving husband of 49 years, Manuel, 3 children, Mary Ann, Jeff and Emily, and 6 grandchildren, Christopher, Caroline, Maddie, Nina, Noah and Max. She is also survived by her sisters Alice Hamoy and Adelina Opulencia.Naomi was born on January 1, 1942 in Lopez, Quezon Philippines to Quiterio and Catalina Mañago. She was one of seven children, Priscilla, Nestor, Reynaldo, Adelina, Rodolfo and Alice. As a young child, Naomi, was a kind, loving, and gentle soul, who spent time with family and enjoyed school. Later during her growing years, she very much continued to enjoy school and socialize with friends and especially dancing.She attended Far Eastern University in Manila where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1964. Her graduating class was considered as one of the pioneer nursing classes in the Philippines. She worked for a few years in the Philippines, before working as a new RN abroad in the US and Canada with her classmate and lifelong best friend Tessie Andaya.She eventually met our father, Manuel (US Navy man) in New York City through a close-knit group of mutual friends (a large group of Navy men and nurses!!) During their young courtship, they enjoyed parties, dancing, bowling with friends and the social scene of NYC and East Coast during the late 60s.They eventually settled in Norfolk, Virginia where she focused on her nursing career at Lake Taylor Hospital with other Filipina Navy wives and started to raise her young family. She had many close nursing Filipina friends and she and my dad enjoyed spending time and socializing with friends in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach Filipino-American community.She’s always been a dedicated and very hard working mother to her kids, working hard during the night shift to provide well for her kids and their education and to ensure their well-being and decent upbringing. She was definitely a very hard worker and dedicated to her profession as a nurse. She was also a great provider and mother and always there for our family.She was a very kind, gentle, quiet soul, but who was also a very smart, bright, quick-witted and opinionated straight shooter.She later moved to San Francisco Bay Area in 1986 to be closer to her family and sisters (Precy, Alice, Adelina) where she continued to thrive in her career and family life. She worked for Agnews Developmental Center in San Jose, CA for nearly 30 years and later at Fremont Health Center.Our mom, affectionately known as “Coca” (Lola) by her grandchildren, led a very simple “no frills”, decent and moral life. She always preferred to be home and always cook for her kids (and grandkids), even though we were all still “busog” ; )She of course very much enjoyed the fun of “gambling”, whether it be bingo, Reno – dollar slots were her favorite, lottery scratchers, and of course quick trips to “Cache Creek”. She also enjoyed relaxing at home watching TV Patrol and crying inconsolably to sad Filipino dramas. Other favorites were watching her Golden State Warriors, Jeopardy, eating pizza and watching big sports events like the Super Bowl. More recently, she would binge watch on Netflix the 80s series “Highway to Heaven”. Coca remained strong-minded and committed to living all throughout her illness. She had the most tremendous will to live we have ever seen; she committed herself and for us to “not give up” and to always have hope in her fight. She fought to the very end to live and her mind was very sharp. It’s ironic that her heart gave out because she had the biggest heart of all. After her tough fight, we were blessedly and fortunately able to let her go peacefully to rest eternally with our Lord.She will be missed by one and all, especially her loving and devoted husband Manuel who was her kind and patient caretaker, her loving kids and doting grandchildren, and her siblings.Bye for now mom, rest gently in peace now with our Lord without any more pain. Please watch over us in all we do and guide us in the right path. With all of our love.Love always,Your Family
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