South San Francisco, CA January 14, 2022 Submitted by Garden Chapel Funeral Directors
Our mother, Bienvenida Ancheta Agbayani had joined our Almight God on Thursday, 1/6 at age 91 in Las Vegas. Arrangements are being made for her body to be flown to San Francisco for her funeral services. She was a petite, fragile but remarkably strong woman for she raised 6 children (Rex, Raquel, Nesie, Danny, Jun and Edwin) as a widow at age 53 and left behind 15 grandchildren (Aliana, JP, Cassie, Jeremiah, Katrina, RR, Murielle, Jacque, Jessica, Monica, Elijah, Fatimah, Jimmy, Sabee, Brandon) and great-grandchildren (Daddy Boy, Andrielle, Robert, Charlotte, Damian, Louis, Yann).
Mom was a king, generous, steadfast woman who controlled the household and persevered to raise all of us in her own way. She also showed love and affection to her children in-laws (Diana, Onofre, Charlie, Janette, Pia) who all served her with her favorite Chinese/Filipino dishes. Mom is the last of her 5 siblings (estela, Rosalinda, Josue, David, Othelia) to join their parents Augustina Sy Rodriguez/Leon Ancheta family clan. It’s endearing to be reminded of our heritage that started from our ancestor Ongkima Sy who was one of the first Chinese settler/trader in Ilocos Norte. Mom was raised in Piddig and studied at St. Anne in Laoag Ilocos Norte and left for Manila to study and graduate at her alma mater Far Eastern University where she coincidentally met and started their love affair with our father, Modesto Juan Agbayani who also attended the same alma mater. They started their newly married life together in 1959 at Dixon Subdivision in Baguio where Rex and Raquel were born. They moved to Samat/Cordilera Streets in St. Mesa Heights in Quezon City in the early ‘60’s ti join the Agbayani clan at what we called “Agbayani compound” until she immigrated to the US in 1974 with my youngest brother Edwin to join our father, Modesto Juan Agbayani to pave the way to a new beginning for their children to emigrate in 1975. When our father passed away in 1983, mom continued to manage 2 “care homes for the aged” in Daly City and South San Francisco until she decided to retire in Las Vegas.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 from 4:00PM – 6:30PM at Garden Chapel, Vigil service will begin at 6:30PM. Funeral Mass will be on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 10:30AM at Mater Dolorosa Church, 307 Willow Avenue, South San Francisco. Committal to follow at Olivet Memorial Park.