Benjamin "Ben" Tubig

Benjamin "Ben" Tubig of San Antonio was called home to be with The Lord on April 8th 2015 at the age of 97. He was preceded in death by his parents, Liberato and Victoria Nabong Tubig, his wife and mother of their 10 children, Leoncia (Osing) and his eldest daughter Estrelita (Lisa) Williams.

He was born in Macabebe, Philippines on March 7, 1918. He married Leoncia Suarez in 1942 and they celebrated their 45th anniversary before her death in 1988.

After visiting his homeland of The Philippines, Ben met and married his present wife, Bernadeth Bacquian in 1989, she was a "godsend" and took very good care of him till the end of his beautiful life. They resided in San Antonio.

Ben enlisted in The Philippine Scouts in 1941. The Philippines Scouts was amilitary organization of the United States Army. While serving with the scouts during WWII, Ben and other filipinos were captured by the Japanese and were in "The Bataan Death March." He and a fellow scout, Musni were able to escape after three days of captivity. They found a man with a wooden canoe at a nearby creek and Ben gave him the only thing he had, his wristwatch. The man took them away back to Masantol, Pampanga, Philippines. He later joined the Filipiino resistance movement, which waged a guerrilla war against Japanese troops until American forces returned to liberate the islands in late 1944.

He received many awards and decorations including WWII VICTORY MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED ARMY MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL and THE BRONZE STAR. Ben served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. After retiring from the U.S.Army in 1970, he worked for The Nix Hospsital.

Ben was one of the first presidents of The Filipino-American Association here in San Antonio. He loved to bowl, play mahjong, and go to the casinos. He also loved woodcrafting and upholstering, which he did as his hobbies.

Mr. Tubig is survived by his wife, Bernadeth Tubig of San Antonio, his sister, Priscilla Suarez of The Philippines, nine of his ten children and their spouses, Julio & Sylvia Tubig of Burleson, TX, Jaime & Marie Tubig of San Antonio, TX, Elizabeth & Tere Prasse of San Antonio, TX, Edith & Steve Wulf of San Antonio, TX, Ethel & Bob LeBlanc of San Antonio, TX, Jordan & Debra Tubig of League City, TX, Joseph Tubig, Evangeline Tubig, Jefferson Tubig, all of San Antonio, TX and step-daughter, Bernalhee McFadden of Robins AFB, GA. He also had 19 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren and many many friends that will miss him very very much.

The family would like to thank the many doctors, nurses and staff at The San Antonio Military Medical Center and at The Lifecare Hospitals.

Visitation will be held from 5:00-9:00 p.m. with a rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2015 at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday, April 20, 2015 at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow with military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.