Vivian Pangelinan

When Vivian Q. Pangelinan walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Vivian was and how she impacted those around her. Vivian was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Vivian wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Vivian was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Vivian was born on November 23, 1952 at Guam Memorial Hospital in Tamuning. She was the daughter of Ramon F. and Rita San Nicolas Quitugua, who raised Vivian in Guam. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Vivian might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Vivian was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Vivian was raised with seven siblings. She had four older brothers: Vincente, Francisco, Juan and David; two older sisters, Rosita and Sylvia; and one younger sister, Marie (Mae). Vivian was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Vivian was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Vivian well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Vivian was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Vivian was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Vivian took part in softball and volleyball, and in her spare time she liked to sing and dance. Vivian had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

During her high school years, Vivian responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from John F. Kennedy Sr. High in 1970. Vivian was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Vivian absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Vivian, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Vivian a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in high school was music. In addition to participating in cheerleading, Vivian also received honors in choir.

Vivian married Ignacio Pangelinan at a civil wedding in Anigua, Guam. Vivian's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Ignacio's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Vivian was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

Vivian was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Vivian, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Pangelinan home. Vivian's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Vivian was blessed with three daughters: Shirley, Josette, and Rita. She was also blessed with 11 grandchildren- Josettes's children: Ethan, Araya, and Shawnee; and Rita's children: Kyle, Codey, Christy, Corina, Coby, Corey Jr., Coriannie, and Colleen.

Vivian was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation for the last 11 years was a homemaker. While in Guam, she worked as a clerk for revenue and taxation. Vivian was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Vivian had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Vivian's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Vivian loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were family functions and karaoke. Vivian had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Vivian's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Vivian derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, Vivian played volleyball. Recreational sports included softball and volleyball. Vivian was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were baseball and softball.

Vivian's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Vivian took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included visiting home in Guam, Hawaii, and California.

Vivian Pangelinan passed away on February 23, 2011 at Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. She fought a brave battle against life on dialysis for seven years after an ailing heart for over 10 years. She is survived by her beloved husband, Ignacio; children, Josette and Rita; and her 11 grandchildren. Services were held at Palm Mortuary, Eastern Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vivian was laid to rest in the Veteran's Cemetery in Guam.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Vivian. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Vivian Pangelinan for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Vivian was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Mortuary, Los VegaS, NV.