Abelardo J. Jimenez

Many things can be said about Abelardo J. Jimenez. Known to friends and acquaintances as a friendly, energetic, empathic and decisive man, his compassionate nature would always shine through, revealing his charm, warmth and conscientious demeanor. He was warmhearted, gentle and organized in all the things he sought to accomplish. Abelardo was a mentor, a natural “teacher” capable of seeing things clearly, leading others and bringing out the best in all of those around him. He generally had a focus on harmony and peace.

Abelardo was born on May 25, 1949 in Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines. His parents were Domingo and Clotilde Jimenez. Abelardo was raised in Cavite, Philippines. When he was young, Abelardo's friends and family found that “straightforward” and “honest” were perfect words to describe him. Even as a child, Abelardo demonstrated strong qualities of self-confidence, perceptive ability and a disposition that was enjoyable to those around him.

Abelardo grew up with five siblings. He had an older brother, Armando, an older sister, Amparo, a younger sister, Angelita, and two younger brothers, Angelito and Arnulfo. Abelardo was constantly involved in all sorts of activities with his family. He was even-tempered, taking care not to get involved in too many family conflicts. This quality served him well, in perpetually bringing harmony, understanding and a sense of peace to the family. Abelardo carried these traits into his adult life and served as one of many reasons why family and friends found him pleasurable and delightful to be around. Abelardo was a person who genuinely understood and cared for others, making powerful connections with those he knew.

As a young boy, Abelardo was imaginative, ingenious, clever and a “novel” thinker. Regardless of whether his peers were older or younger, or came from different backgrounds, Abelardo could easily relate to other kids. He was an active child who took part in basketball, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. He was also involved with the Boyscouts. In his spare time he liked reading comic books. However, to Abelardo, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

During his high school years, Abelardo had a natural flair for cheering on and applauding just about everyone. He was constantly offering his support and encouragement to fellow members of the groups and activities in which he participated. He graduated from Francisco College in 1965. He did well in school and genuinely enjoyed telling stories in a way that drew people to him. In this way, Abelardo had a talent for becoming the center of attention, a kind of social catalyst. Abelardo was often found to be the lead person facilitating a group activity, frequently filling the role of being “the life of the party.” Teachers and classmates knew Abelardo as an excellent listener. He placed a high value on learning and always understood that there was a new lesson to be grasped waiting for him just around the corner. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Mr. Felix Elizalde.

Always considered a “good” friend, Abelardo sought to understand the things that others enjoyed. For this reason Abelardo always seemed to possess a never-ending collection of acquaintances. Abelardo’s friends found him easy to know and get along with because of his talent for being socially at ease, adept at conversation, and always amiable in his dealings with others. Abelardo would always seek to learn what his friends enjoyed, and he would go out of his way to make sure that their needs were met. Abelardo was always seen as the type of person who was the more gracious giver. In fact, he sometimes felt ill at ease when he was the one on the receiving end. Throughout his life he had many friends. While growing up, one of his best friends was Bino Javier. Later in life, he became friends with Evidalio Giron and Snores Ignacio.

On June 28, 1969 Abelardo married Ester V. Ignacio at the Bacoor Independent Church of Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines. Compassionate and devoted, Abelardo worked hard to make his new family happy. He was always generous with his time and this meant that Ester came first in Abelardo’s book. He was always caring and made certain that he considered Ester’s feelings. By trusting his emotions, Abelardo did his best to make sure that both the marriage and home life ran smoothly. This is just one more example of how Abelardo was truly a person of empathy.

Abelardo’s quality of being a caring and tolerant person who was very accepting of others translated to being a good father to his children. Abelardo shared these values with his three children, two sons, Arnold and Garry, and one daughter, Sherry Grace. Abelardo was also blessed with five grandchildren, Aivee, Lhianne, Aivan, Aileen and Graziel. Abelardo related well to children of all ages and was able to connect to them on their level. The children always loved him and he was completely and totally devoted to them.

Abelardo experienced success in his work life over and over again. His primary occupation was as a Seaman Security Guard. He was employed for 10 years as a security guard. Abelardo always made the effort to understand what was needed at work, and was well known by his colleagues as a team player. Abelardo took pride in managing his professional responsibilities and seemed to always know what was necessary to successfully complete a project. Abelardo was one to take the initiative and his skills at working cooperatively were highly valued. Abelardo continually sought to learn what his co-workers did well and how they were most effective, a talent that enabled him to help them develop their own potential.

Because he was organized and methodical, Abelardo took great pleasure in his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were playing crossword puzzles and reading books. Abelardo enjoyed sharing his passions with others and could singularly focus on one hobby at a time.

Abelardo derived much satisfaction from sports. Because he was so instinctive and could always grasp the big picture, Abelardo delighted in the strategy and inner workings of a competition. In high school, Abelardo played basketball. Recreational sports included playing ping pong and tongits. Abelardo was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams' events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were basketball and football.

Abelardo was well known to others for his ability to naturally and conscientiously move into action to help others, a quality that placed him as an active contributor to many community activities. Charismatic by nature, he was always viewed by others as someone who built bridges, connected to people, and upheld his personal values. Politically, Abelardo was involved with the Independent Party.

Abelardo’s faith was important to him. He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church. During that time, he was a Parishioner. He was compassionate and warm hearted, someone who truly cared for others and that was clearly demonstrated in his work with the congregation.

Abelardo enjoyed traveling, and because he was so well organized, he would take on the responsibility of planning and scheduling all of the family vacations. His gift for keeping things lively meant that vacations with Abelardo were always enjoyable. Favorite vacations included San Diego, California and Toronto, Canada.

Abelardo was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Abelardo's favorite was Askal, a dog. They were best friends for 2 years.

Abelardo passed away on April 18, 2012 at home in San Jose, California due to a heart attack. He is survived by his wife Ester; his sons Arnold (Vivian) and Garry (Zeah); his five grandchildren; and his sisters Amparo and Angelita. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home in San Jose, California.

Throughout his life, Abelardo was a gregarious and enthusiastic man. He was generous in sharing his personal attributes, giving and helping those he knew and loved. He would often fill the role of coach, bringing out the best in everyone. He was imaginative, original, tender hearted and easy to get along with. Abelardo leaves behind him a legacy of life-long friendships and cherished memories. Everyone whose lives he touched will dearly remember Abelardo J. Jimenez.