Salome Alimboyoguen Cabotaje

Salome "Sally" Azada Alimboyoguen Cabotaje was born on October 22, 1940 in Raois, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. She is the daughter and 4th child of former Vice Mayor of Raois, Vigan Lorenzo Alimboyoguen and Francisca Azada. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at Temecula Valley Hospital Intensive Care Unit on May 22, 2024 at 7:30 am.

Salome loved to reminisce and share stories of her childhood days in the Philippines where her parents provided their 8 children with a spacious home surrounded by plenty of land. She recalled how they would process sugar cane and tobacco leaves on the farm, feed the animals and harvest the food.

From a young age, she was drawn to the field of nursing, a profession that perfectly aligned with her innate desire to HELP others. Her journey as a nurse began in 1961 when she graduated at the tender age of 20 from Dagupan College School of Nursing, now known as University of Pangasinan. She later obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Northwestern University in Laoag City, Philippines. She not only excelled academically but also demonstrated a profound empathy and understanding towards those in her care.

In 1964, Salome was the first from her family and one of the first wave of Filipino registered nurses that migrated to the United States under the Exchange Visitor Program. Filipino Exchange nurses and other health care workers began to dominate the program.

Although her parents wishes was for her to stay in the Philippines, she had the strong desire and determination to come to America to advance her education, work as a RN, thereby helping her parents/siblings financially back home and to ultimately petition them to come to the US.

When she first stepped on U.S. soil in Chicago on 1964, she worked at the historic Cook County Hospital, specializing in Pediatrics, which became an innovative teaching hospital. Much to her surprise, as she was en route to the US, she learned that the Vigan newspaper titled "Off For U.S." announced that the daughter of former Vice Mayor and Mrs. Lorenzo Alimboyoguen graduate of Dagupan Colleges School of Nursing left for Chicago recently to join the nursing staff of Cook County Hospital. She still has the news clip to this day which she framed and hung on the wall at her home.

While Salome was training/working at Cook County Hospital and living in the dormitory, she caught the eye of a young US Navy man by the name of Antipaz "Peping" Cabotaje who was from Alcala, Pangasinan, who frequently visited her at her dorm. They both enjoyed bowling, going on picnics and cooking together. When he learned he was going overseas to Europe he asked her hand in marriage. He was concerned she would be swept away by other gentlemen since Salome had many admirers at the time.

They soon married and had 3 loving children: JR, Jacqueline and Joanne who were all born in Chicago, Illinois. Being married to a Navy man they had the opportunity to travel and go places.

In 1972, he family settled in San Diego where Peping was stationed at the time. They continued to live in Southern California and made their homes first in San Diego, Escondido, CA and then in Murrieta, CA.

Throughout Salome’s esteemed career, she worked in various settings from busy hospital wards - ER, ICU, Med-Surg, OR, Pediatrics just to name a few, as well as home health and clinic settings. She worked at various hospitals throughout the San Diego and Los Angeles areas. She finally retired from West LA VA Medical Center.

Salome assumed various responsibilities as coordination and supervision of quality care and process improvement activities, management of resource utilization and daily unit shift operation, as well as managing self and staff professional responsibilities and ensuring safety in the ward.

Salome was known for her unwavering dedication, meticulous attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure. Her colleagues often spoke of her as a leader, mentor and role model, someone embodied the true spirit of nursing. To her, nursing was not just a job it was a calling. Her very strong communication skills and excellent interpersonal relations made her excel in every undertaking she did. These of course are in addition to her clinical expertise and leadership.

She exhibited a thirst for knowledge and modeled the wonder of knowing. She eagerly pursued her studies and in the late 70’s she graduated and obtained the degree of Master in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Health Care Services from La Jolla University. Furthermore, she graduated and obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Behavior (PhD) with an Emphasis in Managerial Leadership from La Jolla University on May 10, 1980.

Salome completed her Public Health Nurse Certificate from Long Beach State University and received her teaching credential from The California Community Colleges as a college instructor for Nursing.

On August 6, 1978 Salome was duly licensed as a Nursing Home Administrator in the State of California by the State Board of Examiners Department of Consumer Affairs. During her career, she once managed a nursing home with over 125 patients. To this day, she has kept her RN and NHA licenses active.

Salome was so driven that she developed a profound sense of compassion that became her hallmark. She had exceptional clinical skills, gentle bedside manners and the ability to inspire HOPE.

She was a supermom who worked passionately as a RN, all the while pursuing her education and caring for her children, providing a good life and a good catholic education and beyond. She taught them the importance of resilience and the value of hard work. In addition, she continued to help her parents/siblings back home financially, as well as supporting the migration of her siblings to the US.

Salome and Peping were quite the entrepreneurs during their time delving into successful business opportunities. They owned and operated a board and care home known as Perpetual Guest Home which catered to individuals requiring assistance with activities of daily living. Salome opened Grotto Home Health Agency and acquired a business license from the City of San Diego, a nursing specialty in which nurses provide multidimensional home care of all ages. A cost efficient way to deliver quality care in the convenience of the client’s home.

Salome was involved with many organizations. One that was near and dear to her heart is the Philippine Nurses Association of San Diego. She was one of the founding pioneers of PNASD. She felt deeply and passionately about the Vision - To be the leading nursing organization in innovative leadership and global engagement. Mission - To embrace all nurses regardless of ethnicity, develop innovative nursing leadership, improve professional nursing practice image and build a strong community partnership. Core Values - Caring, Excellence, Integrity, Service and Inclusiveness. She valued all her Certicates of Recognition from PNASD in appreciation for her commitment and hard work in Creating a Mindset of Excellence for the success of the PNASD. She loved all the officers and members and always stated she was proud of them and that they were doing an “Excellent Job!” She was so happy she to attend the recent PNASD Nurses Appreciation luncheon held on Mother’s Day weekend with her 2 daughters.

Salome was a very devoted and prayerful woman of Catholic faith. She was a member of Good Shepherd Parish in San Diego, St. Martha Catholic Church in Murrieta and St. Catherine Of Alexandria in Temecula. She took training to become a Eucharistic Minister and Cathetist. She participated in prayer with various religious groups such as Legion of Mary, Cursillo, Couples for Christ, Handmaid of the Lord, The Filipino Ministry, Santo Nino, Divine Mercy and was part of the Rosary Makers Club.

Salome lived a long, abundant, adventurous life and accomplished so much. She was loved by many and so very blessed. She would have long conversations over the phone with her college classmates and work colleagues with whom she stayed in touch with over the years. She was frequently visited by friends at her home in Murrieta, CA. They would get together and cook, pray, exchange little gifts to each other, laugh and share stories. She had such caring neighbors and Salome would often provide the kids at the cul-de-sac vanilla fudge ice cream cups during hot summer days. She LOVED to read as it kept her mind very active and sharp, she loved to sew her moo moos (it was so cute) and care for her plants, picnics at the park, walks around the beach, loved listening to the filipino singing priest Father Jerry Orbos on her computer, camping, spending quality time with her children and grandchildren, enjoyed sleepovers at each of her children’s homes, church functions, travel, just to name a few.

Her best vacation yet was when she traveled to the Vatican City just to see the Pope and when she explored the beauty and architecture of the cathedrals and basilicas in Portugal and Spain. She was always praying, saying the rosary, singing the praises and expressing gratitude to Our Lord. She experienced so many miracles in her life so her faith was solid and genuine and she loved to share it with others. She loved to distribute copies of prayers to family and friends. She believed that God is the source of Life the divine physician and divine healer. She recalled having beautiful dreams of the Virgin Mary who radiated a bright light upon her.

Salome was an exemplary mother, wife, grandmother, sister, friend, daughter and human being and was surrounded by so much love. She embodied the best of qualities: compassion, unconditional love, strength of spirit and an unending generosity that can be seen in her care for her family and countless others. Even in her moments of vulnerability, she remained a caregiver at heart, always concerned about the well-being of others. She had a magnetic personality and people were drawn to her humility. She always made everyone feel special and important. She accepted everyone with an open heart, open arms and a perpetual smile. She will be greatly missed but her legacy will live on and her spirit will live in our hearts forever.

Salome is survived by her son, JR and his wife Olivia of Carlsbad, CA; daughter, Jacqueline and her husband Mario Escamilla, and their son Michael and daughter Kate (grandchildren) of Carlsbad, CA; daughter Joanne and her husband Ron Ito of Murrieta, CA; 4 sisters, Florencia Pagador, Asuncion Aquino (+), Benilda Alimboyoguen, Freda Alimboyoguen; 3 brothers, Porfirio Alimboyoguen, Lorenzo Alimboyoguen Jr. (+), Rodolfo Alimboyoguen; and several loving relatives and close friends.

June 11, 2024

Visitation

4-8pm

El Camino Memorial in San Diego, CA

June 12, 2024

Mass

12-1pm

Good Shepherd Catholic Church in San Diego, CA

June 12, 2024

Burial

Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, CA

2:15-2:45pm