MERCEDES CACATIAN CALIXTERIO

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MERCEDES CACATIAN CALIXTERIO

It is with great sadness, the family announces the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Mercedes Cacatian Calixterio on Thursday, August 19, 2021, age 101, with her family at her side.
She was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Marcelo Bueno Calixterio Sr.; sons, Jessie, Raul, Manuel, Felipe and Elna, Raymundo, Constante; and grandson Raymond.
She will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Philippe (Beatriz), Mercy (Doug); (Rosalie), Rodante (Mary), Clivia Marie (Ricardo), Mida (Homer), Christine (Jarwin), Geneve; Corona (Steve), Foronda, Louie Albert, Rosario (Wade); Trifona (Isaias) Bermisa, Jennifer, Gerald; Ruben (Vicky), Rina, Rizza Joy, Regina Mary, Rachel, Raquel, Marcelo Jr., Mario, Merelo; Tony Jayson, Clivia Marie, Katherine Anne, Angeline Anne, Sofia Anne; great-grandchildren: Vanessa Jade, Patricia, Grace Marie, Grady, Emma May, Mikayla, Sean Reimer, Sabrina, Emmanuel, Harold Karl, Kristen, Sasha, Donald, Raya, Liam, Karsten, Ky Ledelle, Constantine, Kaelle, Isabelle Koryn, Cina, Siaman, Benjamin, Allister, Precious, Alec, Clyde, AJ, Keziah and Leighton.
Mercedes was born in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines on September 24, 1919, the youngest of eight children to parents, Demetrio Ventura Cacatian and Genoveva Cabalce Menor.
After finishing high school in her hometown she moved to Manila, worked as a seamstress in order to support herself in college. She finished a degree in Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at the National Teacher's College graduating in 1949. During that time she met Marcelo B. Calixterio Sr. who was then a Liberal Arts student at the University of Manila and got married in November 1941.
Her teaching career started in rural areas of Bangar, La Union. She had to endure and experience hardship for transportation which was not available during that time. She had to walk and climb mountain terrains and pass streams in order to reach her teaching post with the Itneg tribe living in the mountains. Mercedes juggled her time as a public school teacher and a small scale business woman to augment her income to support the growing family. She worked under the Division of City Schools in Manila, District V, Bagong Buhay Elementary School. She also taught at Binakayan Elementary School in Kawit, Cavite.
During the Second World War Mercedes witnessed and experienced the ravages of war. Both had chosen to provide services to the Filipino soldiers through delivery of food, clothing, laundry services and other necessities. This act of valour earned them membership of the Philippine Veterans Association in which the U.S. government had recognition.
In 1986, Mercedes and Marcelo were sponsored to Canada by Trifona C. Bermisa, one of their 12 children. Both parents helped with the two group home businesses owned and operated by the Bermisa family. Mercedes interests were teaching and taking care of their numerous grandchildren, cooking for them and the residents of the group homes, gardening, travelling back and forth from Winnipeg to the Philippines, and getaways to her daughter-in-law Betty's trailer in Beachwood, Blaine, Washington.
One of the highlights in Mercedes' life was the celebration of her 100th/centennial birthday last September 24, 2019 at the Hilton Hotel with the loving presence of the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friends in collaboration with Father Darrin J.G Gurr and some St. Gianna Parishioners and friends.
The family would like to thank Donna and Toyin of Home Care Services, WRHA and Dr. Hamedani and staff of the ER at the Grace Hospital.
Private Family Viewing will be held on Friday, August 27, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. at Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home. Mass service will be held at 10:00 a.m. at St. Gianna Beretta Molla Parish, 15 Columbia Drive. Interment will follow at Waverley Memorial Gardens, 1501 Waverley Street.

God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine,
And He moulded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses pink and flush,
God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to us.

THOMSON "IN THE PARK"
204-925-1120
Condolences may be sent to
www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 26, 2021