DEMOSTHENES TORRES, a resident of San Diego,
California for more than 50 years passed away on January 24, 2013. He was born
on July 27, 1935.
After taking his Medical Studies in the Philippines, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Medical Officer and was a Vietnam War Veteran.
He was married to my sister, the late Perla Maynigo Torres, a California Nurse. Both raised two children – Mary Euleen Torres and Dean Torres. Dean is married to Christina Arizpuro Torres and they have two children, Carly and Sebastian. Euleen has a daughter, Gianna. Euleen finished her Masters Degree in Social Work at Long Beach State University while Dean earned his Masters Degree in Hospital Administration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
They also helped put through college two relatives: Bolet (Boy) Torres, Manong Demy’s younger brother who became a Medical Doctor, and me, Manang Perla’s younger brother who became an International and Cyber lawyer. Many relatives were also beneficiaries of their generous assistance.
Aside from raising their children well, both Manong Demy and Manang Perla were active in serving their communities in the Philippines (Burgos and Rosales, Pangasinan) and in the United States (San Diego, California). The OPERATION SAMAHAN Community Health Center in San Diego is one successful project that both fully supported.
I am publishing in this column my letter addressed to Euleen, Dean and Christina, a day after the passing of Manong Demy:
Dearest Euleen, Dean, and Christina,
Condolences to the three of you and to all our relatives!
After taking his Medical Studies in the Philippines, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Medical Officer and was a Vietnam War Veteran.
He was married to my sister, the late Perla Maynigo Torres, a California Nurse. Both raised two children – Mary Euleen Torres and Dean Torres. Dean is married to Christina Arizpuro Torres and they have two children, Carly and Sebastian. Euleen has a daughter, Gianna. Euleen finished her Masters Degree in Social Work at Long Beach State University while Dean earned his Masters Degree in Hospital Administration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
They also helped put through college two relatives: Bolet (Boy) Torres, Manong Demy’s younger brother who became a Medical Doctor, and me, Manang Perla’s younger brother who became an International and Cyber lawyer. Many relatives were also beneficiaries of their generous assistance.
Aside from raising their children well, both Manong Demy and Manang Perla were active in serving their communities in the Philippines (Burgos and Rosales, Pangasinan) and in the United States (San Diego, California). The OPERATION SAMAHAN Community Health Center in San Diego is one successful project that both fully supported.
I am publishing in this column my letter addressed to Euleen, Dean and Christina, a day after the passing of Manong Demy:
Dearest Euleen, Dean, and Christina,
Condolences to the three of you and to all our relatives!
Your Dad's passing is a mixture of sadness, a vote of confidence and trust, and most importantly, a triumph of love.
Sadness because it ends not only his vital activities but also his physical, intellectual, emotional and other human connections to his loved ones, be they relatives, friends, townmates, and the like. It also signifies the cessation of whatever material happiness generated by and with him in this material world.
His death was really a vote of confidence and trust for the three of you. The best argument to live longer would have been to see, assist and/or participate in the growth and development of his grandchildren to maturity. It is not hard to imagine Carly and Gianna developing as beautiful and brainy as well as productive ladies of the future, Of course, smart and handsome Sebastian - the "natural born" politician growing up to lead and manage a state, nation, or even a multinational corporation would have been a pleasure for a grandfather to witness or participate in its realization. I have in fact advanced this argument.
But the fact that the kids have you as parents, raised to accept full parental responsibility and meeting it efficiently and effectively, your Dad voted AYE for the three of you in shaping their future, The ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE and TRUST was there as he closed his eyes to reach his final destination. It was an argument that no one, including me, could counter.
Most importantly, his love for his loving wife, your beloved Mom, and my affectionate sister is beyond measure. Theirs was love made and developed on earth. It was one that extended not only to each other to the maximum degree but to you, relatives like me, and communities, be they in Rosales, Philippines or in San Diego. He had served his family, his community and as a Vietnam War Veteran, his country with bravery and honor.
In his last days and hours, he had expressed his wish to the three of you. He prayed that God Almighty would finally allow him to join your Mom in their infinite love. That together with your Mom, he would be allowed to finally realize a LOVE MADE IN HEAVEN.
Last night, God granted his wish and prayer!
All my love,
Uncle Ben
1/25/2013
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