Martha Invencion Jalandoni

Martha was born on October 15, 1918 in a famous town of Batac, Ilocos Norte the hometown of former President Marcos. She grew up to be a beautiful lady, later married a young man Pedro Jalandoni. they had three children, the eldest is my lovely wife, Zeny, next is, my bother--in-law Jimmy and then the youngest is my sister-in-law Marjorie. My wife, Zeny left the Philippines to come to the United States in 1970 and she promised her mother that she would call for her to come to the United States as soon as she is settled. In 1983 Zeny called for her mother to come and Martha arrived in California. It is then that my relationship with mother-in-law began. She gave her love to our three children, Kristine, Scott and Nathan. She gave the same kind of love she gave her grandchildren, Jeffrey, Charmaine and Meg while she was in the Philippines.

She was a wonderful mother, and an even greater grandmother. When our children would come home from school, she would have their snacks ready for them and for their friends. As a matter of fact when news of her dying was spread by Scott and Nathan and Kristine, the flood of e-mails from their former classmates began to pour in and saying the same thing about her kindness, that she was a very gentle person, and they all loved her.

All the years that I have known her, I have not once heard her complain about anything in life, never heard her say anything ugly or bad about anyone, never got angry with the children. When asked how she is doing her standard reply is a gentle "OK LANG". She is never wanting of anything more than what she has. When she is offered something again her response always is "NOT TOO MUCH" and "YOU GO AHEAD AND I WILL HAVE SOME LATER". She did her share of traveling with us on our vacation trips and most of all she enjoyed our short trips to Las Vegas always looking forward to visit her son Jimmy checking on how he is doing with his garden and of course playing the slot machines gave her tremendous enjoyment. In fact during the last 10 months we did make 2 trips to Las Vegas and we had planned a visit before Christmas and that never came about.

We all loved mama, I have learned so much from her. she showed me to be patient and I believe she knows that I have worked hard on it. She showed US the simplicity of life and how to be happy. My fondest memories of mama are during the last 10 months since she was diagnosed with cancer. We started in the early spring by planting the seeds of her pepper plants, tomatoes, saluyot, and eggplant. Some of you most likely have tasted her pickled peppers that she gives out during Christmas, AND she was planning to do some this Christmas, but she never made it. Every day I would take her out except on days when she is not up to it. She would carefully water the newly sprouted seedlings, nuturing each of them carefully. Together we watch them grow. In summer we did harvest the peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and her saluyot. She would make sure that each would be harvested properly.

She never complained. Not once during the last 10 months did she say she is in pain. It became part of MY routine during the day, every day to ask "how are you doing". she will always say, she is fine and there is a little pain on her knees but after Zeny has massaged it "feels better she would say". She was so happy to see her daughter Marjorie when she arrived from the Philippines, to spend some quality time with her mother. She gave her mother all the loving care a devoted daughter would give her mother. Marjorie would cook her special dishes of pinagbet, sinigang, bulanglang, moongo. they had fun together. During the last 10 months, I saw the never ending love of two daughters Marjorie and Zeny for their mother, working together to give comfort for their mother, and it it was indeed a beautiful thing, and like their mother they never complained and was never impatient towards their mother. Jimmy and his family during their visits this year gave Mama their tender love, knowing that each visit might be the last for them to see Mama.

Our mother, our grandma, our gram and our friend is truly a wonderful person. For those who have met her just recently, in particular the nurses and aides from the Hospice all loved caring for her because she was always smiling always thankful for all the things they have done for her, she appreciated their care.

On the day she passed away, it was almost something that was scripted with the Lord Jesus Christ. She could have died during the night. She waited to have us all together around her bed. Kristine and she brought our youngest grandson Aiden. Like he always would do, he gave his gram the high 5, touched her hand and she responded. Shortly after noon, Kristine called our parish priest to give her the last blessing with the holy oil and by then she began to struggle breathing. Later Kristine brought our granddaughter, Emily and Natalie to see their gram and to say goodbye. At that moment she passed away, the girls said goodbye and gave her a kiss. For me those moments with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were just wonderful and we will never forget because it was a moment that I believe God gave us to see her leave. Scott said it best, by saying that he felt that just as Father Vincent finished the anointment with the oil, it was almost as if the sky opened up and light shined on his grandma and she was taken. At that same time Kristine was clasping her hands saying to her "Grandma it is okay, you have been so tried, it is okay for you to rest". We all said our goodbye. We will miss you mama, grandma, gram; Martha, sleep well, we won't see you in the morning but we know you will be there, because you have always been there for us, may you rest in peace, It is not Goodbye, but Good night, sleep well and we will see you in the morning and we love you Mama.

A special poem to our dear mother, Hello dear mother we came to say good night,we know it's not good-bye, because of God's promise we will see you in his divine light. And to you dear mother we can truly say we were blessed the day God placed us in the folds of your loving way. It breaks our hearts to think of the time we'll be apart. You'll always be in our thoughts each and every day. And so dear mother, we just want to hold your presence tight, as God in all his wisdom take you on your heavenly flight. God gave us these words so we could see the light and so dear mother, no it's not Good-Bye it is only Good Night.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and a Rosary recited at 6:00 pm all Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Chapel, 11500 Arlington Avenue, Riverside, CA. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 10:00 am at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, 8540 Weirick Road, Corona, CA. Interment will follow at Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Park, Riverside, CA. Services entrusted to Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Mortuary, Riverside, CA.