Virginia Miskel Duag

It is with heavy hearts that our beloved matriarch, Virginia Miskel Duag, passed away in San Diego, California, on January 24th, 2025, at the age of 95. She was born in Punta Santa Ana, Manila, Philippines on February 22nd, 1929. Her parents were Cecil Clarence Miskel and Conchita Yang De La Torre. Her father was a German Scottish Irish English American, and her mother was Spanish and Chinese. She had an older brother named Arturo. Her first language was English and then learned Tagalog.

Virginia Miskel Duag was orphaned at an early age during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in 1942 during World War II. The nuns of the covenant at a Catholic Church raised her. It was not until several decades later that we found out from AncestryDNA that her biological father left the Philippines in 1932 many years before as a member of the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Bonifacio in Manila and her father passed away in Oklahoma in 1983.

In 1985, Virginia became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States. In 1987, she was the Founder of Mesa Board and Care for the Elderly with her daughter Cecilia Duag Mesa. Virginia was the manager and caregiver for 20 years. Every Thanksgiving, she made the turkey with stuffing, gravy, and other delicious food up until her 80s. She enjoyed watching soap operas and wrestling. She was the pillar of love, kindness, wisdom, warmth, strength, resilience, and emphasized the importance of higher education. Our success was her success and achievements. She was like a second mom to all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

We know her spirit lives on in the values she instilled in each of us. Her love will always be a part of who we are. We carry her legacy in our hearts, and we honor her by continuing to live with the kindness, resilience, and joy she showed us. We thank her for everything. May she rest in peace and have eternal life.

Virginia was married to Tomas Merlan Duag for 64 years. They had 6 children, 16 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. Their children are Elena Duag Bencito, Cecilia (Celia) Duag Mesa, Roberto (Obet) Duag, Cresencia (Cresty) Duag Dela Peña, Isabelito (Lito) Duag, and Roger (Ramon) Duag.

Grandchildren are Edsel Bencito, Edezer (Cachie) Bencito, Edgardo (Egay) Bencito, Edelen (Len-len) Bencito, Michelle Duag Mesa, Melissa Duag Mesa, Lornabeth (Rona) Joco, Robertson (Erson) Joco, Derek Duag Dela Peña, Dennior Duag Dela Peña, Deorrel Duag Dela Peña, Torene Duag, Reneli Duag, Arcee Duag Ho, Gerzon Duag, and Torenz Duag.

Great-grandchildren are Russel Bencito, Kate Bencito, Miguel Marcus Bencito, Isabel Reese Bencito, Rafael Andres Bencito, Chloe Elin Bencito, Eigan Ross Bencito, Edriel Bencito Meneses, and Melina Aghili.