MEMORIES FROM H.S. REUNION-PART 5

GRAND FINALE- THE BALI HAI DANCE PRESENTATION-CLASS 1960

DANCE ENTRANCE-FRONT-TESSIE CASTRO PURI, BACK-EVELYNE DIRIGE RESELLA

OUR BALI HAI PRINCESS - THE BEAUTIFUL BAYANIHAN DANCER-LITA RAMOS

ALOHA FROM THE JUBILARIANS

SPECIAL DANCE PRESENTATION BY PURI & COMPANY
VIVA PURI! VIVA PURI! WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORT. CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL!

You made all the difference in our 50th hs reunion.I know how much sweats & time went into the production of this event. We couldn't have done it without your talent,creativity, & dedication. You went the extra mile & expenses too.
TO CELIA, GERRY & LITA-Congratulations on doing a superb job of organizing our 50th h.s. reunion. My sincere thanks to all of you for making such a great effort, extra time. Please accept my sincere compliments & appreciation on all your deligence & hard work. I am so proud to be apart of this 50th reunion.
This is the last chapter of our "Gintong Ala-ala" blog. We are ending this blog to pave the way for another PWU blog called "Gintong Daan (Golden Road). It's comming soon, so watch out for it.

One of my joys is life is being able to contibute to the success of our 50th hs reunion. Updating this blog for over a year is a great pleasure. I know that many of us literally went the extra mile to help create this blog. Thanks to all who contibuted to scanning high school photos, wrote bios & stories, sent photos. To name some like-Esther, Puri, Cora, Cherrie & Sari. MARAMING SALAMAT! MUCHAS GRACIAS! ARIGATO!

MEMORIES FROM H.S. REUNION-PART 4

"O.M.G., I'm rich!
Silver in the Hair
Gold in the Teeth
Crystals in the Kidneys
Sugar in the Blood
Lead in the Ass
Iron in the Arteries
And… an inexhaustible supply of Natural Gas.
I never thought I'd accumulate such wealth."
Written by Evelyne D. Resella:

The above quote is about rich senior women. This is from Sari and she forwarded it to our e-mail group. It's amusing but very true. When PWU alumni reached their h.s. 50th reunions, no doubt they are truly rich like the above quote.

This nostalgic event was the 79th PWU alumni reunion. For our h.s. class 1960,it was our "JUBILLEE" (Golden Anniversary). Hurray! Hurray!

I never thought I would be able to make it to the reunion. But I was happy as reflected in my smile in the above photo. I had never been back to my homeland for 35 years, so it was a beautiful homecoming.
EARLY BIRD.....EARLY PHILWOMENIAN CAUGHT THE....BIG SHOT!

When I entered the ballroom, it was excessively noisy with excitement, chatting & laughing. Our 1960 class were scattered every where. I saw Puri and asked for a dual photo but four more classmates joined us.

Left to right: Marilin Fernandez Arellano, Eloisa Dizon Farrales, Evelyne Dirige Resella, Puri Capistrano Laconico (Our Bali Hai Creator), Corazon Fausto Gatchalian and Tessie Castro Puri. A BUNCH OF BEAUTIFUL PHIWOMENIAN FROM H.S. CLASS 1960! THE MERRY BELLS WERE JINGLING WITH JOY FOR THE JUBILARIANS!!! THEY SAID THIS WAS THE BEST REUNION EVER. GLAD THERE WERE MANY OF US WHO MADE IT THERE.LEFT TO RIGHT: Marilin, Eloi, Evelyne D., Puri, Cora, Tessie P., Roselani, Sari, Evelyn NZ, Cherrie, Yolly, Carmen, Marlene,Renita, Precy, Lani, Lita, Glo & Nati.
THREE SOME BEAUTIES - TESSIE MARZAN, EVELYNE D. RESELLA AND EVELYN NZ ZABALA
Left to Right: Tessie Castro Puri, Tessie Lonzame Marzan, Evelyne Dirige Resella, Cynthia Ugalde Tan, Celia Arreza Espiritu and Renita Abary Gorostiza

I am hesitant to post this photo. I was next to the former Miss Philippines Cynthia Ugalde). I felt like an ugly duckling & elf next to her. The 2 Tessies- nakapikit naman. Celia looked stunning next to Cynthia. Puwedeng mag-compete. Anong sinasabi mo Renita?

So long.....and enjoy reading our blog!

MEMORIES FROM H.S. 50th REUNION-PART 3

"Memories light the corner of my mind. Misty water color memories. Of the way we were." - From the song "The Way We were" by Barbra Streisand.

The Grand Entrance To The 50th H.S. Reunion

Hello everyone! Here's some memorable moments in time. This photo was taken at the grand entrance of the Dusit Thani Hotel. Right photo (Rhod & I) was taken prior to the start of the grand celebration. With everyone laughing & screaming inside, we quietly slipped away from the crowd to have this photo session. Don't feel bad if you're not included here.These lucky people were there at the right time & place when the cameras clicked.

PRESENTING THE LOVELLIEST COUPLE
FROM OUR REUNION:
MARLENE DE LEON LEYSON & ALFREADO LEYSON.

THEY LOOK SO REGAL IN THEIR HAWAIIAN OUTFIT. PARANG REINA AT HARI.

LEFT PHOTO:

WOW, KAMI NAMAN NI GERRY & ME. LIKE A FISHER-WOMAN NAHULI KO RIN SI GERRY. MAILAP SIYA. SHE WAS SO BUSY ATTENDING TO THE DEATAILS OF THE REUNION BUT SHE COULDN'T RESIT THE BAIT FOR PHOTO SHOOT. SMILE! TAWA! NGITI NAMAN DIYAN!

HERE'S OUR BEAUTIFUL MOMENT TOGETHER. HONESTLY I DIDN't KNOW A LOT ABOUT GERRY. BEFORE THE REUNION, WE EXCHANGED TONS OF E-MAILS. GOT TO KNOW HER BETTER THRU E-MAILS. WE SAT TOGETHER DURING DINNER BUT NOT ENOUGH TIME TO CHAT LONG. HER DINNER STAYED COLD WHILE SHE ATTENDED TO THE MANY DETAILS OF THE REUNION.

MORE HAPPY TIMES AT THE REUNION.............Left to right: Marlene, Miss X, Gerry, Ebb and Rhod

MEMORIES FROM H.S. 50th REUNION-PART 2

Memories may be beautiful and yet,

What's too painful to remember

We simply choose to forget

So it is the laughter

We will remember,

Whenever we remember

The way we were. - From the song "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand

Written by Evelyne Dirige Resella:

February 22, 2010. Yes, an unforgettble date! It was our PWU high class 1960 golden reunion. With my husband and son, I entered the banquet room at the Dusit Thani Hotel just fine. A little nervous & overwhelmed by the loud noises. Every classmates looked great. Still the faces seem familiar. I wasn't imagining, but somehow, I'd expected them to stay as young as they were on that long-ago h.s. days. We'd hugged many more welcome hugs. But like me through the years , many classmates added gray to their hair, or pounds to their years. But as we celebrated the golden reunion, we were like twelve yrs. old again in spirits, though there's no doubt we all looked like grandmothers. We rolled back the years and were young again even for a single night.

HERE ARE FIVE unforgettable photos from the 50th h.s. reunion: Seems like only yesterday, I was with Renita and Eloisa. There were only 3 of us since the rests are still dressing up or "nagpapaganda pa."

A POSE DOWN MEMORY LANE-WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT WE WOULD BE TOGETHER AGAIN AFTER 50 YEARS? Marami na kami dito.

Left to right: Eloisa Dizon Farrales, Evelyne Dirige Resella, Renita Abary, Tessie Castro Puri, and Roselani Blancaflor Mariano.

THE MORE...THE MERRIER....... Left to right..............................

Eloi, Ebb,Renita, Annie, Sonia, & Rose

"OLD CLASSMATES ARE THE BEST ANTIQUES"....... How true! After 50 years we were the most preserved antiques from the past. There were seven of us in this class photo. A curious mixture of Hawaiian beauties, tall & shorts, wide and still skinny. Left to right: Sonia Alvarez, Rosario Valenzuela, Renita Abary, Evelyne Dirige Resella, Cherreie Silva McSorley, Tessie Castro Puri, and Roselani Blancaflor Mariano. "SPECIAL CLASSMATE BROUGHT SPECIAL MEMORIES."

YOLLY BELLO PAJARO AND EVELYNE DIRIGE RESELLA WERE TOGETHER AGAIN. After high school graduation Yolly & I continued to be together at the U.P. School of Fine Arts at Diliman. We were both aspiring commericial artists. I became an artist while Yolly shifted to another degree. That was the end and I never saw her beautiful face again. I saw her latest photo in our PWU blog prior to the reunion. I was so happy that she became a successful business woman w/ her her famous shoe brand Via Venetto.
Until next post! Marami pang darating na photos! Abangan!

MEMORIES FROM H. S. 50th REUNION- PART 1

MEMORIES ARE THE BEST SOUVENIRS............
Written by Evelyne Dirige Resella:

Hi dear classmates and other viewers. At last, I am blogging about our high school golden reunion last February 22, 2010. I apologized for the long delay. When my husband & I returned to the U.S. after our long trip to the Philippines & Southeast Asia, we were extremely busy moving to our new home in San Diego , California. It took months to be able to find the photo CD. My son Ryan, whose hobby is photography, had a very good photographic skill & camera, took hundreds of photos. Somehow many photos didn't come out well especially those taken inside the dark hotel, where the reunion was held. Also it was a big file, so I only selected the very best photos to publish.

What more can I write about the reunion? Ano pa ba ang dapat isulat? Tessie Marzan already wrote a very beautiful tribute. Bong also wrote a collection of appreciations for classmates who made the reunion a success. This blog is simply a catch-up & an appreciative gift of time toward those who made the extra effort & expense to be at the reunion. Gee, where did the time goes? It sure went by really fast. Just like that! It's hard to believe that 8 months had passed since this sentimental 50th reunion happened. To those who attended the reunion, here's a refresher. Naalala pa ba ninyo? To those who misssed it, here's an update. It's wonderful to have photos to look back when many of us no longer have photographic memories. May these photos make us laugh once again. In the past... we were brave, we were crazy, we were mostly young once. In our golden years, hey....life it isn't over yet. Come w/ me and let's travel through the pages of time.....
AMONG MY REUNION SOUVENIRS- "PRETTY PHILWOMENIANS"

H.S. CLASS 1960

Left to right;

Celia Arreza Espiritu

Evelyne Dirige Resella

Roselani Blancaflor Mariano

Eloisa Dizon Farrales

PRE-REUNION: I arrived in Manila mid-night (Monday- February 15th ) like a wilted gumamela from the long distance flight. On Tuesday, I slept most morning due to jet-lagged & fatigue. In the afternnoon my husband , Ryan & me, toured the Mall of Asia. We had to see as many sights as possible in the 3 weeks that we will be in the Philippines. Tuesday night, had family reunion with the Villas at Q.C.

On Wednesday (3 days prior to the reunion) was my 1st time to connect to many classmates and practice the dance presentation. Many classmates had been practicing for months. Our class 1960 being the "Jubilarians" would be performing a special Bali Hai dance show. Puri Capistrano Laconico was the creative brain & producer behind this ala-bayanihan show.

I was very nervous because dancing is not my forte. I am old but my legs are still strong. Nakakaindak pa ako, but w/ no graceful bayanihan sways & moves. What a relief when I found out that the late comers would be "background." Well, I like being in the background because I don't have to worry when I mistepped, unless someone recoded my steps on a video secretly. Maraming tatawa doon.

What a JOY to see classmates I haven't seen in 50 years! The above photo was taken during our dance practice break. It was a surprised that Celia, our valedictorian was seated on my left. Wow! This was unbelievable! Even during our h.s. days, hindi ko nakatabi si Celia, kahit minsan. Then Rose, one of those lovely mestizas from our class was next to me on the right. Ang gaganda naman nang mga katabi ko ano? Pero mahinhin ang mga smiles. Wala kasing taga Canada dito. My ex-class-seatmate (ELoi) was there too. What an exciting moment!! I LOVE REMEMBERING THIS BREAK TIME WITH LOCAL SNACKS. Many bought snacks but my favorite was the delicious pili from the Bicol region. Thanks to Lilia Villa Javier for sharing them. The same photo from the first except Marelene De Leon Leyson and Renita Abary de Gorostiza were included.

BEAUTIFUL PHILWOMENIAN

CLASS 1960

Left to right

Marlene de leon Leyson

Carmelita Ramos

Evelyne Nazareth Zabala

Carmen Exconde

Evelyne Dirige Resella

Cherrie Silva MacSorley

Renita Abary de Gorostiza

During the short breaks it was time to catch up wih 50 years of stories & happenings. Maraming kuwento but not enough time to tell them all. I was not able to join the PJ overnight party at the Canyon Woods in Tagaytay. Courtesy of Celia. I heard it was a whole night of sharing many memories and retold some class jokes.

WOW! PHILWOMENIAN PRETTIES.......TALAGA!!!!!!

Left to right: Roselani, Tessie P., Evelyne, Gerry Tiongson Osias (President of PWAA, Celia ( chair-79th PWU reunion) and Renita

Athough all tired from the practices these Pretty Philwonians could still smile.

Gising na Tess P. Nasa harap ka nang camera.......he!he!he!

Those were the days when we thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance forever and a day. Oh, yes those were the reunion days.

Next week, I will be postings more photos from our real reunion. There will be 4 series.

Till next post! Abangan ang karugton!!!!

MEMORIES FROM MINI REUNION#2

"We all take different paths in life,but no matter where we go,we take a little of each other everywhere.'- Anonymous

By Evelyne Dirige Resella: Aaaahhhhh.......!!!!! the high school days! I never thought I'll get back to it!!!!!!! Not even on my dreams.

So far, I had another reunion w/ former high school classmates, Ev Nz Zabala. After months of planning, we finally had a mini -get-together with our spouses Although Rhod & I moved to San Diego last October 2009, we were often out of town or out of the country. Ev & I only connected by e-mails. Thank God for e-mails. One of the best inventions of the century.

The good news, Ev & I saw each other during our 50th reunion in Makati last Febuary, 2010. We frequently talked during breaks from dance practice. There's so much to catch up after not seeing each other for 50 yrs. but not enough time. Our schedules were hectic & didn't spend much time w/ each other..

Ev Nz is one of those classmates that I remembered vividly. WHY? We have similar names. She's Evelyn Nazareth and me, Evelyne Dirige. I changed mine to Evelyne later on. To distinguish us on our e-group e-mails, she's known as Ev Nz, while me as Ebb.

I also remembered that we were those "petite" ones in h.s. Maraming matatangkad like Cynthia, Lolit, Girlie, Roselani, Sari, etc. During the reunion, I was surprised to see Ev taller than me. I did't add a lot of inch since h.s but I am happy w/ it.
We finally had a casual dinner at "Joe's Crab Shack" in Pacifc Beach, where Ev & hubby live. We decided to drive & see their area since we haven't been there before. It's a nice coastal area & crowded with beach bums.

Rhod & I arrived on time for our dinner date- 5:30 p.m.. Ev called that they will be late. Hindi pala American time! Anyway, walang Americano sa amin group, so we took our...time. While waiting for them, we had some cool drinks & fried calamari. The place was casual, funky, busy & extremely noisy.This is our happy photo at JCS.

Fr. left to right (Ebb, Frank, Ev & Rhod). This resto is famous for seafood, so that's what we indulged in. Ev, Rhod & I had lobster bisques for soup. For main dish, Rhod & I shared a huge pot of steamed crab legs, lobster, clams, sausage, potatoes, & corn. All these were served on a big metal, black pot. Yum...yumm!!!! Frank, had the usual fare"fish & chips." He wasn't able to finish, so the left over was "to go." I am not sure what Ev ate. I guessed she had a plate of rice pilaf w/ fish dish. Her hubby said that they don't like to split their meals. Although they don't share their meals like us, Ev & Frank are very nice couple. I discovered that Frank is an Italian guy. He is a widow like Ev. They both attended a support group where they luckily met each other & remarried the second time around.

We chatted & ate over the din of the resto. It was a miracle that I was able to HEAR many of the conversations but also missed some due to my hearing problem. I have a bionic ear (cochlear implant) but it's impossible to hear everything when the noise was extreme. Such kind of noisy resto is not an ideal place for hearing impaired. I think it was my fault that I didn't tell Ev that a quiet place is preferable. At this time, my new Freedom processor was only 3 weeks old. I was happy that I could at least hear some chit-chat in a very challenging situation. I had a new processor because my old one (Esprit 3GN22) will be obsolete by December 2010.
THE TWO SMILING EVELYNS: . After dinner we had a short chat by the broadwalk & some photo session. The Pacific Beach in the background. It's almost at the end of the day but we didn't watch the sunset. Left photo.

Right photo:

IN FRONT OF JOE'S CRAB SHACK-EV & EBB

Tawa naman diyan! Casual lang kami dito! We were by the beach and it was quite windy.

FOURSOME - "OUR GOOD -BYE PHOTO:"- (Rhod, Ebb, Ev, Frank)-Taken by an amateur guy, I requested along the way. Since Ev & I now live close to each other here in San Diego, this is not the end. We are already planning more get togethers. Tuesday night is a good day for us since there are many discounts for seniors on restos & movies. Ev is still not retired so, she's not always off. Till our next.....happy hour!

MEMORIES FROM MINI REUNION

"Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. " -Francis Bacon

REFLECTIONS FROM EBB TIDE: I am back after a sentimental journey to the Philippines & dream trip to Southeast Asia. Those trips were one of the best times of my life. Last February, being reunited w/ many past high school classmates in Makati after 50 years was something I am very thankful & will forever treasure. Also going back to my homeland after 33 years of absence gave me a wonderful feeling. The Southeast Asian trip & cruise is something to remember. I am extremely happy to have done such a long travel while I could still walk & enjoy the hassle of taking a trip. It was worth the long distance journey & expenses.

When I got back to the U.S. last April 1st, I wasn't in the mood to jump into blogging. So many things occupied my mind & time. Moving to San Diego was my priority every moment of the days. I was disconnected from the e-group for months but it didn't mean I no longer care. I am glad that many were patient & understand my silence. My endless thanks to Sari who made an effort to continue our blog despite of my long absence. She did a good job filling in.

Meanwhile, although I haven't updated our "Gintong Alaala" blog I thought of it once in a while. I wanted to start the Part 2 of "Gintong Alaala" w/ new layout & design but so far, I have gotten rusty and needed to practice a bit. Also not having all the time in the world kept me away from blogging. It will take months before I could spend as much time as I did the first time I started designing our golden blog. I am sure many of you wanted to continue our Gintong Alaala & looking forward to Part 2, Part 3, & beyond.

Anyway, I'd like to restart our blog and share my latest mini-beach-vacation to Cayucos, California last July 10. It was tiring but fun filled w/ new experiences. This place is a quaint village near Morro Bay, surrounded with little towns such as Cambria & San Simeon. There are many interesting places to visit, that will not make you sleepy during those quiet times.

THE HIGHLIGHT:Our mini-get-together w/ Eloi & Jun (hubby) on June 10th (Sat.) was the best part of course. It's over a week since we saw each other. Time flies so fast! We met at the beach house where we stayed -for-4-days (courtesy of my sister-in-law-Dita). It is just 30 minutes drive from Atascadero where Eloi & Jun both work. They wanted to see this million dollar beach house. We toured them around. It was a beautiful day. ELOISA FARRALES & EBB RESELLA AT THE CAYUCOS BEACH HOUSE

HAPPY QUARTET- JUN AND ELOISA FARRALES & EBB AND RHOD RESELLA

LUNCH AT THE HOBBIT: Later we had lunch at the Hobbit, a resto recommeded by Dita, as the best in Cayucos. We took lots of photos. We had a wonderful lunch of gourmet hamburger & mixed seafood soups (ala bouilabaise).

THE HOBBIT RESTO: It has an ocean view & nice garden in the back. We only remembered to take pictures after we ate all the food. So no photos of the food. Thanks to Eloi & Jun for splurging. They too had millionaire's personality. Why not? Parehong doctor yata!

HOBBIT OUTDOOR GARDEN: This is one side of the beautiful garden. We choose to eat indoor because it was cold outdoor. After we finished eating our lunch, the beautiful sun came out & it's too late to eat in the garden.
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE HOBBIT GARDEN
BACK TO THE BEACH HOUSE: Later, we went back to the beach house. This is Dita's small garden on the entry way to the house. My grand kids were there already. So Eloi & Jun were able to meet our young poet (Audrey). Soon, we were inside the SUV of John (Dita's hubby). There were 7 of us (me/Rhod, Eloi & Jun, John & Dita & Aaron (Rhod's youngest brother), so it was packed. Mas marami mas masaya. The winding road to Paso Robles was thrilling, where we enjoyed wine tasting ala "Sideways." There are 200 wineries in the area & we only went to 4 of them. Most in our group like to drink wine except me & Eloi. They had so much fun. Wine tasting is free up to 6 glasses if you buy at least a bottle later on. So for our 1st tasting, me & Eloi had sparkling fruity wine (virgin/non-alcoholic ). I drank it while Eloi only sipped a little. LAST STOP: In Opolo Winery they served appetizers (grilled sausages), crackers with wine tasting. This winery was more hospitble because their wines are more expensive. Some cost$20.00 per bottle. Amazingly, Jun bought a whole box and gave some bottles away to Rhod & Aaron. We could have stayed longer at the wineries but Eloi & Jun had to go back to Astacadero by 5:00 p.m. We had so much fun that saying good-bye wasn't easy.

STUNNING SUNSET BY THE BEACH: This is one of the sunset views that we saw during our refreshing times by the beach house. Sorry that Jun & Eloi missed this beauty but I hope the photo will inspire them to take more time off.
Eloi's e-mail & comment ......"It was a comfortable feeling being with you, as if we did not have 50 years in between." How true like a good aged wine.
IN THE FUTURE: I am trying to convince Eloi to retire here in San Diego. She will never be lonely with us around-(me & Evelyn NZ).Plus my 3 sisters & 1 brother are all here. We could adopt them to be part of our big family. Also, my 4th sister Didi is married to a doctor. It's a small world because my brother-in-law is also a past classmates of Eloi & Jun while at UP Medical School. It's not to late to start all over again.

ENJOY READING FROM EBB!

My Friend Josie - Joselita Agustin Viesca

Josie and I along with Fe Ilagan became regular lakwatsa mates during our Junior year (Fe was then sophomore) in high school. We were among those who loitered the campus after school hours and took the jeepney and bus home. With fellow lakwatseras, we often went to see the movie and ate merienda in Sta. Cruz area or Chinatown on weekends; also got invited to parties, usually birthday celebrations. During our Senior year, staying late in school became a habit. At times we splurged and rode the cab home. Josie got dropped off first in Dimasalang, then Fe in Caloocan and I last in Polo, Bulacan. Total fare was 4 pesos and I got home within 45 minutes.
After high school, Josie studied in UST and I in UP. This did not deter us from spending non-school days with friends like Cherrie, Ampy, Fe and Sonia. Josie graduated with a law degree at UST, got married and relocated in San Antonio, NE, home of husband, Boy Viesca. Josie worked at the Assessor’s office of San Antonio and rose through the ranks until she became the Chief Assessor. Josie was still its Chief Assessor when she died on February 22, 2009.
I used to call Josie, Miss Fixer. She could obtain legal documents for untitled lands for a fee. This was a good source of additional income that helped send their 2 daughters and 2 sons to college. The daughters each finished Business Ad and Hotel & Restaurant Management degrees; each son received a degree in Law and Business Ad. Two of her kids migrated to Australia.
Josie was a very caring mother. At the time her kids were in college, she never failed to commute by bus on weekends to bring cooked food and laundered & ironed clothes for use by her kids. Simultaneously, she took home dirty clothes for washing. Josie did this till all 4 children finished their respective degrees. I do not know of any mothers who did this religiously as Josie did.
Josie’s kids knew their mother as a provider, but not as the witty person that she was. They did not know Josie made all her friends and acquaintances laugh. It was never easy to get a word in when Josie was talking or “telling her stories”. She enjoyed telling friends how she made a mistake in making me the godmother (by proxy nonetheless) of her first born – a daughter. She would also add that Fe should have been the ninang. Not only was Fe more generous, she was also around at Christmas (I live in the US).
Josie seldom failed to come to Manila when I was home for visits from the U.S. It was through these visits that she re-connected/renewed friendship with our common Philwomenian friends. These friends laughed themselves to tears when Josie was around due non-stop jibbing and funny stories she shared. When we visited Ampy in Lian Batangas 3 months before she died, Josie managed to make a very ill Ampy laugh. It was the Lord’s special gift to Josie – laughter is the best medicine and Josie readily dispensed this “medicine”. She carried this gift even when she was nearing death. During our visit at the Cabanatuan Medical Center on February 18, 2009, Josie managed to softly mumble things that made us laugh. We knew then it was the last time we would see Josie alive; she died 4 days later. Fe and I attended Josie’s memorial service; we remained part of her life till the end. It was heartwarming to witness how many lives Josie touched and helped; many were at her interment.

Marlene de Leon Leyson- filling the 50 yrs. gap

Name: Marlene Leyson Y de Leon
Parents: Dr. Pablo de Leon of Paranaque, Rizal and Laura Carmona of Tuegegarao, Cagayan
Attended: Elementary - St, Paul's College, Class of 1956
High School - St. Scholastica College 1956-1958
Phil. Women’s University 1958-1960
College - Phil. Women's University - B.S. in Nutrition, 1964

Of all the schools I attended, I felt the most at home at P.W.U. I experienced the difference between the Catholic School's strict rules and standards to P.W.U 's well rounded approach to education. I was happy in all my years at P.W.U. but I told my son that my happiest years were in High School. He mentioned this at his Valedictory address in 1988.

After Graduation, I worked for 3 months as a volunteer at NIH. I left the Philippines on Oct. 30 1964 for San Francisco, California. I was hired and worked at St. Mary's Hospital until Aug.1968. I met Alberto Leyson in Sept 1965 while in San Francisco. We had a whirlwind romance and got married on Oct. 30, 1965. We are still happily married after 44 years. We are blessed with 2 sons Robert Paul and Joseph Simon. I did not work for 7 years; was a stay at home Mom watching my sons grow. Those were good years. Bobby graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems. Joey has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Both are happily married. We are blessed with three grandchildren, Mark, Zachary and Benjamin.

I went back to work in 1975 but changed career. I was fortunate that I was able to work in a laboratory, Olin Water Service. Later moved to W.S.S.C., a bi-county water service, and worked there from1977-2000. I retired as a Chemist.

In1989, I told Albert that we have to give back to the Lord since He has given us so many blessings and guided us to make good decisions in life. We are actively serving at St. Columba Church. We got involved in Filipino-Ministry and incorporated some of our Filipino customs and traditions. The ministry has grown and activities expanded. We have Visita Iglesia, Perpetual Help novenas, Tagalog mass, Simbang Gabi, Flores de Mayo, San Lorenzo Ruiz celebrations and much more. We Joined the Parish Council, Sodality, Bereavement, Liturgy and Spirituality Committees. At present, I am still serving as lector and Eucharistic minister. In 2001, I studied for two years at Trinity College in their Education for Parish Service Program. In December 2002, both Albert and I were awarded A Medal of Merit by the Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Washington for Faithful Service to the Church. We are still faithfully serving the church and hope to serve until we are not physically able.

Retirement years are fun years. My interests are gardening, cooking, fishing and traveling. So my dear classmates, I tried to fill the gaps of the last fifty years. Looking forward to seeing you all in the Philippines.

A Tribute by Tessie L Marzan

A TRIBUTE
On February 20, 2010, our HS Class of 1960 celebrated our Jubilee in conjunction with the 79th PWU Homecoming and Alumni Reunion. This milestone is now but a memory - one that will live on. The stage was set not a year ago or even 25 years ago, but the day after we graduated, and so in varying degrees of separation, we all moved on. Since then, many were “LOST” and still are, a few left us forever ,and still others stayed on , continuing what was started so long ago, knitting relationships far and near and elevating’ CLASSMATE’ into a profound term of endearment. We profess our APPRECIATION and GRATITUDE:
• To those, who on that momentous day at DusitThani, had faith to forge ahead towards ‘a year of magical thinking.’
• To the VISIONARY who saw the beauty and promise of BALI HAI , nurtured and crafted it to a most fitting and splendid conclusion,
• To those who “FOUND” us,
• To those who exuded grace and serenity, focus and energy - amidst the clamor of a thousand and one things,
• To those who were voices of caution and reason, wisdom and sensitivity,
• To those whose everyday actions spoke of compassion and generosity; inspirations to us all,
• To those who made us laugh,
• To the Messenger of SUNSHINE, to those who visited and tended our sick, gave solace and comfort even if only for the briefest of time - to those who are now gone,
• To those who brought joy and camaraderie to the mini reunions, as they chatted away,
• To those who shared knowledge and information, life experiences and lessons learned to enlighten us all,
• To those who challenged us, made us pause and reflect,
• To those who had an abundance of goodwill, patience and loving concern, to those always ready to extend a helping hand,
• To the “GREAT”one, on whom honorifics were heaped on, you deserved them all,
• To those who shared pictures unearthed from dusty trunks bringing us back to bygone days, to those who posted them and tried their very best to place a name on every face,
• To those who sent greetings and wishes, e-mails galore,
• To those who gave selflessly of their talents and treasure, their gift of precious time in the face of consuming demands of busy lives,
• To those who in their own quiet ways supported and cheered us on,
• To those who let their fingers do the walking, sent thoughtful cards on our behalf,
• For your abiding and enduring FRIENDSHIPS,
• To the BIONIC GAL who created http://pwuclass1960.blogspot.com//, our very own firecracker – hot zone of wonder and fun , with art and apt quotations, articles that bridged the gaps, and bios that helped us “know” each other again,
• To those who kept her busy,
• To our resident ‘MAKATA’, VISUAL ARTISTS and WRITERS whose incredible talents, added texture and richness to the BLOGSPOT, CD and MEMORY BOOK,
• To those whose deft touches, uncommon imaginations and pursuit of a singular goal put all the above together,
• To the ELEGANT LADY for the beautiful gift of leis,
• To those who forwarded the ‘forwards’, to our utter delight and glee,
• To those who joined us in spirit, and sent us along our merry ways, with wishes for safe and happy trips,
• To those who lined up our activities and made arrangements for same, provided for us so we can arrive in comfort and safety,
• To a most gracious host who invited us to her home for practice and to break bread together--- a feast for body and soul,
• To a most generous host who opened wide her door, so we can have a place to rest our weary feet and lay down our heads,
• To us all, for the sheer excitement and pleasure of each other’s company, just for being --- HERE!
• To our ‘lost’ classmates and the dearly departed, for the time we spent with you 50 years ago. You are remembered.
Our GOLDEN REUNION – a fellowship that will stay with us forever, bind us ever tighter; wherever we are, whatever we do, wherever we go. HOW BLESSED ARE WE!

Reunion as Seen by Bong Arroyo-Staub

Dear fellow PWU High School 1960ers,
First let me greet Tessie Lonzame Marzan,Cirila Vito Lynch and Vicky Saldana Gruela belated happy birthday! May you have many joyous birthdays to come.
My husband Heinz and I arrived back here in Karlsruhe, Germany last 3/3. Ok naman ang trip-now am back here, no more jet lag but "Aloha", "Bali Hai" and Hukilau" are still ringing in my ears. Was really a very unforgettable reunion. Masaya to be with you all from the Philippines as well as from abroad. This was indicated by the fact na everytime we met ayaw ko ng umuwi! Memorable because:
Kumareng Puri had her mother-in-law Mrs. Dolly Laconico (our commencement speaker in March 1960!), her son Nikki (our Bali Hai horn blower), daughter-in-law Charmagne, apos Tara and Loren as happy talkers, daughter Samantha (Bloody Mary's daughter) and of course husband Ramon Laconico all time entertainer. On top of that she got Romy our patient choreographer and Cheche Lazaro a luminary as our moderator. Titus was also very helpful. The tree-planting at Munting Paraiso with sister Nati was quite an experience. Sister Mel will surely be very active in the PWUAA.
Gerry- whose staff and duplex house were always available for rehearsals since january 8, video-filming by Tristan, Mumu making, paper work, office space and facilities, merienda, convenient accomodations for balikbayans and and and. Nice to see your Mom so well cared for, nakakainggit! Tnx also to Ms. Flora Tigno for making us all beautiful in the center fold. Gerry, kindly send to Lita this email of mine by photocopy since her computer is not in order. Thanks.
Celia our valeditorian pambato was so cute especially with her apos as happy talkers. Thanks too for the Tagaytay escapo, naisip mo lahat together with yaya and driver to make our stay enjoyable!
Lani who made it possible to have as surprise guest at Rockwell none other than Dolphy, a celebrity known even by our generation. Tamang tama sa golden jubilarians. Even the long-absent balikbayans know Dolphy, di ba? Thanks also for the Tagaytay escapo. Just like Celia you, your charming sister-in-law and helpers thought of everything including charging the cellphones!
Lita-BIG THANKS for my sundo-hatid in all the rehearsals! Pls. thank also Vicky and driver. Really miss not only the reunion but also our rehearsals. Lita together with Puri are our pambato as Bayanihan originals! Galing talaga ang production. No wonder Mrs. Amelou B. Reyes said (Pls. see video) our reunion would be hard to beat. Plus the organizational talents belonging to our class, totoo nga. Hope your tranfer proceeded smoothly and are happy where you are.
Gloria Villareal-Boren and Carmen Exconde G's merienda ang sarap.Nice to have Carmen's apo and daughter join us too. Also meeting John Boren,
Cora Fausto Gatchalian-our Master of ceremonies and career woman up to now. Parang wine, the older the better! Thanks for the Upper East reunion, also to Gene!
Prescy-thanks for the support from your heavy equipment!
Sylvia- our Filipinesca pambato-Thanks to you, your Mom, husband and daughter such hospitality! Was nice to see Mrs. Estrella so active ! Masarap especially the sans rival.Ganda din the apos singing "Happy talk"
Yoly-your shoes are not only for walking but also for supporting our reunion!
Cynthia Ugalde Tan-Our Miss Philippines pambato.
Ening Annie Poblete- Belair reunions: lunch and birthday . Tnx also to your sister and brother-in-law. also for the videos you sent. Beautiful place.
Dory for gracing our reunion every year, walang patid.

To the Balikbayans:
Linda Chacon Baisas- Thanks for thinking of Dusit Thani, walang masasabi di ba?
Sari- for thinking of everything as you were still in NYC: mini reunions, big search, addresses, whereabout, beloved teachers, driving in MetroManila (bilib talaga ako), "now photo"-hunting, orange scarves for all dancers tig- dalawa pa, etc etc.
Cherrie-Glad you made it. Thanks for all your support and follow ups even in Florida. Hope you had a nice time in Canada. Bday greetings to your Mom, Best regards to Bob and Tessa.
Eloisa Dizon Farrales-Great to meet you again and also your husband. Wishing you both more success in your medical mission work in the Philippines!
Evelyn Nazareth and daughter -my classmate for 8 years- high school and BS Chem. Looking forward to your daughter's impressions of the reunion.
Evelyne D. R. Thanks for the Blog: Munting Alaala!
Renita- Nice you stayed longer, so glad to see you at Ening's March 1.
Marlene-Nice to meet you and husband after all these years since I visited you in 1965 in SF. Hope you both got to see a lot of the Pilippines as you had wished.
Tessie Lonzame Marzan- hope you both got home safely.Thanks for all your advise.
Roselani- Bilib ako sa husband, very patient. Mine decided to be in his cocoon this time. Some people think my husband is only in my imagination. My only witness is Cherry Silva who personally got to talk to him. Cherrie can say he exists!
Tessie Castro Puri- Nice to meet your relative Mrs. Amalia Cruz Callan of London!
Lilia Villa our Bicol connection- thanks for the pili! Wishing you success in the elections.
Marilin Fernandez Arellano-Come visit Germany. Our Tel. 0721 886985 or 0721 6699579. Pls ask operator for area code for Germany where ever you are. Most countries have area code 0049 for Germany. Address is H. and P. Staub- Fischerstr. 10 Karlsruhe 76199 Germany. So glad you and your family came. Tnx for the support. Your 18 year old is really a wonder kid. What my classmates can accomplish! Regards to all.
Sonia Alvarez- also Bicol connection. Keep us informed of your copra business! So nice to see you dancing away!
Lourdes Morada who came quietly all the way from Maryland to grace the ocassion.
Martha Ocampo Soriano-I regret I missed you at the reunion sa dami ng tao. Anyway thanks, my efforts to invite you thru slow mail and cellphone (to Cabanatuan) worked.

For all the balikbayans and from far away provinces so nice you just blended so well in the dances!

To all who could not come Thanks for the support:
Tessie ocampo, Thanks for your PWU facade which graced the souvenir program cover. Together with sister Nati thanks for the financial support. Also to Girlie Rivera and Carole Horilleno Rasco. Thanks to Hana Gomez Trinidad also Bayanihan original, for the beautiful leis and bracelets from Hawaii. The videofilm will prove it.

To our beloved teachers:
Mrs. Valentina Aragon Bonifacio, Mrs. Lydia V. Marcos, Mrs. Lourdes S. Villaflor and Mrs. Pura Sacro Badoy THANKS for coming to our reunion! Mrs. Bonifacio came also to Sylvia's party! What an honor! Miss Julia Calixto could not come because of health reasons. However the Phil group sent her a greeting card in December with best wishes.
Mrs. Sacro Badoy volunteered to submit names of our dearly departed classmate to the PWU chapel for prayers, namely for: Lourdes Reyes, Presiosa Conde, Carmencita Juan, Aurora Camacho, Saturnina Arellano, Joselita Agustin, Perla Barretto, Louella Duran, Zenaida Matanguihan, Georgina Hernandez, Amparo Lejano, and Carmen Farraga. May they rest in peace!

In summary, we have 135 classmates pictured in our 1960 PWU annual. Twelve are confirmed to have passed on. Thirty one came to the PWU reunion last Feb. 20, 2010. We surely miss Lulu Fuentes Pagulayan, Ginny Golding Ricafort, Olive Abella, Corazon Bobby de los Santos, Wenefrida Noble Bayro, CirilaVito Lynch, Vicky Saldana Gruela, Aurora Villanueva Agelion and many more. Next time please come and join the bonding.
Sorry how I wished I could write this in pure Pilipino or in pure English. But I cannot deny I belong to this generation of expressing oneself "mix mix". Anyway I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed putting together my humble thoughts about the recent reunion.
God bless,
Bong