Jo Dennis Soberano

Jo D. Soberano age 42 died on March 24, 2011. He passed away at the University of Chicago Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Jo is survived by his loving wife, Rose Soberano and his cherished son Joden Jian Soberano. Jo was preceded in death by his father Juan Soberano 1998 and by his mother & Dale Tabbilos in 2009.

Visitation: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 from 2:00pm - 8:00pm at Mount Auburn Funeral Home 4101 South Oak Park Ave, Stickney, Illinois 60402 (708) 749-2033

Funeral Service – Celebration of Life Service, Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 10:00am at Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Interment Private.

Arrangements under the direction of Mount Auburn Funeral Home, Stickney, Illinois. Connie rodriguez, Funeral Director.

Our lives are like a musical composition- the notes are the people, places, events and memories that we have experienced throughout the years. In this song of life, Jo Dennis Soberano was surely the composer. A very observant man who would rather spend his time creating than talking, Jo preferred to live in a world of harmony where everything around him made sense. A free spirit, Jo also believed that actions spoke for themselves. He seemed to know what fit and what didn’t fit in everything he would do. He was a man who was always ready to share his creativity with those around him.

From early on in his life, Jo had a flair for the creative. He was born on February 12, 1969. He first greeted the world in Gerona, Tarlac located in the Philippines. His parents were Juan Soberano & Dale Tabbilos Irving. Jo remembered that when he was a little boy, he broke a superhero toy that his dad had just bought for him. The following day, his dad came home and surprised him with a replacement of the same toy. When he was about six years old, Jo went to the mall with his mom and aunt. He saw a water fountain and asked his mom if he could go swimming. His mom, not realizing what he had asked, said yes. Jo got into the water and his mom had to pull him out of it. The two of them took the train home all soaked up. Jo came to the United States when he was less than one year old. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He used his imagination in most things he did while growing up. Jo had to learn to be independent as a young child. When his parents divorced when he was about seven years old, he would fly by himself back and forth between Chicago and Florida. His dad lived in Florida, while his mom stayed in Chicago. As a young child, Jo was optimistic in his outlook. He sought out the possibilities in a given situation and looked for ways to apply his creative energies. He was the type of person who rarely called attention to himself, but would rather let his creative output speak for itself. However, when he did speak out, his message was clearly understood by those around him.

All throughout his life, especially in his familial relationships, Jo showed that he was a tolerant and flexible person who got along fairly well with everyone. Jo had two half brothers, Darian Irving & John Paul Soberano. Jo was the oldest of the three. He was a playful child who was adaptable to any situation. Jo acted as a big brother to Darian and was very close to him because they used to live in the same house for years. He was very proud of his brother, John Paul, who is currently doing his residency as a physician. Jo said that his grandma was the best cook ever. His grandma always prepared his favorite dishes and they always tasted delicious. He was also close to some members of his extended family; Jo was very close to his cousin, Athena, who was like a big sister to him since he was a boy. Ate Athena would always take Jo with her when she went to parties or hung out with her friends. Jo liked to pull pranks on other people. One time, he covered the toilet bowl with a plastic wrap. When Ate Athena sat down to use the bathroom, she discovered what Jo had done and was livid.

As he was growing up, Jo developed into a person who enjoyed hands-on activities, whether it was drawing pictures, sculpting, or even just tapping out a rhythm to play by. He liked to play with his slingshot as a little boy. His creative side came to the surface quite often as a child. He could be creative in doing just about anything but it was especially evident when he was playing with toy guns and superheroes. He even dressed up as a cowboy.

Those who didn’t know Jo well might not have viewed him as being an outgoing person, but those who called him their friend knew differently. He would truly open up and show his good humor with his close friends. Still, he was generally shy and sensitive, a person who never forced his opinions and values on others.

When Jo's parents were still together, they all lived in an apartment in Chicago. When his parents separated, Jo's dad moved to Jacksonville, Florida. Jo lived with his dad in Florida for about a year, then returned to Chicago to live with his mother. He had a hamster and a dog. Jo traveled to Europe and Mexico with his mom. Throughout his childhood, the most fun he had was simply playing, and spending time with friends.

Early on in his school years, Jo showed an interest in learning, especially when it came to subjects in the arts. At times, his formal education did not provide Jo with sufficient challenges, but being an avid reader, he could often become “lost in a book” well above his grade level. His passion for fine arts was well-known amongst his teachers and friends. He graduated from Kenwood Academy. Science was his favorite class. He was on a football team as left tackle and right guard.

Close friends knew that his kindness was unmatched, and once you became a friend of Jo’s, you understood how true of a friend he could be. Jo was the only Asian student in his school at the time, and some of the guys picked a fight with him to "test" him. He ended up fighting them which gained their respect and many of those guys turned out to be his friends. When Jo and his friends got together, they would go clubbing. He also liked to deejay. The same qualities that made Jo a good and true friend also carried over into romantic relationships. Jo had quite a few girlfriends from different ethnic back-grounds. One time, he went to see an opera show with his girlfriend and her mother. He said that it was the longest two hours of his life.

Whether it was a task or a possession, Jo’s sense of responsibility was always quite keen. He learned the value of hard work when he got a job as a waiter. He did not enjoy it because some of the people were too demanding. He also worked as a bouncer in a club. In college, Jo showed that he was able to focus on what was necessary in order to succeed. Jo started out attending classes at a community college in Chicago. He then majored in Criminal Justice at Kendall University. He completed the program in 2001. Jo enjoyed all of his criminal justice courses since he was always intrigued by different types of crimes and the law. Jo shared his college home with a Rottweiler named Nikko. Jo got Nikko from a shelter where his friend was working at. Nikko became his companion; he trained Nikko to follow commands in Tagalog. He loved that dog!

A person who was sensitive to others’ feelings, Jo had the ability to become completely devoted to another soul when that affection was returned. This was very true when he met Mary Rose Soberano. Jo first saw Rose at Belmont Hospital where his aunt worked. He was there at the time with his cousin to pick up his aunt. As Rose was coming out of the hospital, she caught Jo's attention (Rose was working as a registered nurse at the hospital). Jo asked his aunt about the whereabouts of the woman he saw. Their first date was on a snowy winter day. The two of them had an early dinner at Bando's, a Korean restaurant. Rose and Jo started out as friends before they became lovers.

He exchanged wedding vows with Rose on August 12, 1995. Jo and Rose got married in a civil court witnessed by Rose's sister, Bernadette Dela Luna, her brother-in-law, Jun Dela Luna, and niece, Jasmine Dela Luna. A wedding reception was held a week later at White Eagle Banquet Hall; it was attended by about 100 people. Jo was so happy that his father was able to attend the reception. The father flew all the way from Jacksonville, Florida, to be with his son.

As their family got started, Jo felt his affection growing for Rose. Being together, no matter where, was for his, the very best thing he could imagine. Their first residence was a one-bedroom apartment on the north part of Chicago. It was a small place but the couple found it to be beautiful and cozy. Jo and Rose loved the neighbor's American bulldog named Domino. They were heart-broken when Domino was stolen from its owner. Later on, they got an American bulldog that they named, "Spike." Jo truly enjoyed having a dog. Because of Jo's love for dogs, Rose was able to conquer her long-time fear of dogs. Jo also trained Spike to obey commands in Tagalog.

Jo was always able to find the best in other people. This was particularly true with his friends. Just like in other aspects of the relationship, he accepted both Rose’s friends and the new friends they made as a couple. Their new friends included Chris & Patty Hardiman, Larry & Julie Lester, Norma & Wo Romanowski, Faye Keller, Nydia & Johnny Lisojo, Zeny & Garling Fontillas, Levy Palacio, Cora Topacio, Linda & Danny Cruz, Tita Mesiona, and Tyra & Mark Ousley. Jo and Rose attended several parties with friends and had dinner with them.

Jo was exceptionally sympathetic and compassionate when it came to children. These emotional bonds made him as much of a playmate as parent. He gave his family unconditional love and kindness, sharing his artistic nature by turning everyday events into creative playtime. He had one son named Joden Jian who was born on December 28, 2001. It wasn’t uncommon for him to find himself brimming with pride and joy over his child’s accomplishments. Joden is on 3rd grade at Ray School. He has always received an award for academic excellence since first grade. Jo adored his son. To him, Joden was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. He called Joden "The Love of my Life." He did so many things for his son like taking him to school, teaching him self-defense, and buying him lots of toys and clothes. He would also play video games with him, as well as watch movies at home. Joden loved to go shopping with him because he knew that his Papa would buy him whatever he wanted.

Though Jo’s creative and artistic flair always made for an interesting and exciting home, he made sure to provide a safe and nurturing place for his child to be raised. Jo & Rose have had their dog, Spike, since Joden was about five years old. It was like having two kids in the house since the dog would get jealous when Jo and Rose were being affectionate toward Joden. There were times when Joden and Spike would be fighting with each other.

Because he loved the world around him, Jo enjoyed traveling and going away on vacations. It was an opportunity for him to relax, to visit new places and experience new things. He tried to personalize just about all of the planning that he put into the family's trips. Wisconsin Dells and Orlando, Florida were the family's favorite vacation spots. They spent last Christmas and Joden's 9th birthday (December 28) in Orlando.

Years ago, Jo worked as a Director of Security in one of the office buildings in downtown Chicago. Then he worked as a loss prevention officer in several department stores. Probably the most unique or interesting job Jo ever performed was being a loss prevention officer whose job was to catch shoplifters. One time, he won a district contest for having the most apprehensions in a given period of time. Jo wanted very much to be a police officer but unfortunately, it didn't happen. Being a loss prevention officer was his way of catching "the bad guys," and he was really good at it. Jo was willing to jump in and do whatever it took to get the job done and make a meaningful contribution. Jo tended to be a team player, and thus made a number of friends in the workplace.

Jo enjoyed his leisure time by engaging in various hobbies. When Jo was younger, he enjoyed playing paintball with his family and friends. He was also into Filipino martial arts called "kali." Jo loved to read different types of books. He also enjoyed listening to music, playing video games, and corresponding with friends/relatives in Facebook. He also had a passion for making weapons that he called "shanks." Jo had a wide collection of other weapons such as knives and guns. While he was the type of person who enjoyed working alone on his hobbies, he was always willing to share his interests with others.

There were many things in Jo's life that brought a smile to his face. Jo loved going to Florida with his family for a vacation. He loved eating out and trying different types of restaurants. Black and red were his favorite colors. He was passionate about his gun collection. His favorite scent was Aqua di Gio. Jo also liked collecting items with skulls in them, e.g., shirts, rings, necklace. He loved the tattoo on his left arm, which he got in memory of his mom. He also loved his silver rings, one was engraved with the name "Joden," while the other with the name "Jian.". When it came to food and drink, his favorites were steak and sushi, especially futo maki. His favorite deserts were German chocolate cake and red velvet cake. He liked the pomegranate fruit. Jo enjoyed magazines about martial arts. He was a voracious reader that there was no particular author he preferred. His favorite movies were "Conan," "Above the Law," "Godfather," and "Braveheart." He liked watching the "Ultimate Fighter," "CSI," and "Anthony Bourdain," in cable TV. His taste in music was eclectic, from rock to jazz to house music. Jo loved to watch boxing, mixed martial arts fighting, and football. His favorite boxer was Manny Pacquiao and Chicago Bears was his favorite football team.

Jo’s faith was important to him. Jo was a Catholic. He did not consider himself a religious person but more of a spiritual one. He believed in God and he would always say, "God will provide," and "God is good to me.".

Jo Soberano left us on March 24, 2011. He passed away at the University of Chicago Hospital. He was 42 years old. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. Jo was preceded in death by his father in 1998 and by his mother in 2009. Jo is survived by his wife and son. Services were handled by Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Jo will be cremated in accordance to his wish. His remains will stay with his wife and son.

This is where the song of life has taken Jo Dennis Soberano. He was a kind and good man who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being warm and deeply caring. He conducted his life with a unique rhythm and harmony all his own. He leaves behind him a treasury of lifelong friendships and wonderful memories. Jo always had much to give and was able to make those connections in his life where his gifts were appreciated. Jo was a faithful, practical and loving person. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember Jo Dennis Soberano with a kind thought and a warm heart.