Catalina M. Trapse "Lola"

Catalina Mamaed Trapse, loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away May 8, 2018. She was a shining example of love and strength. She was mother to Carmelita, Thelma, Jesse, Grace, Pete Jr., Glenn, and Elizabeth. She was born in the Philippines on March 26th, 1923, married her husband Pete Sr. there in her late teens. Despite losing her firstborn as an infant during the war, she lived through Japan’s occupation and later rejoined her husband. Pete was later deployed to America and eventually brought their family to San Diego in 1960. Tragedy would befall her again when she lost her son Pete Jr. at age nine and then her husband less than a week later. In the face of every adversity she never wavered in her love for her family or her faith in God. She persevered to keep her family together working three jobs to not just survive, but to thrive and raise her remaining five children. During the day she ran a daycare, sold home goods, and was a certified nurse’s assistant at night. She would go on to become a grandmother of 13 and a great-grandmother of 12, caring for and loving each one of them in her unique way. She taught them the importance of family sticking together no matter the circumstance, how to work hard, the importance of saving money, and how to play Gin Rummy. Her actions spoke volumes by the love she showed and her exemplary work ethic. Her dynamic and outgoing personality brought her many friends. She was generous with her time happily delivering meals on wheels, driving friends to appointments and errands, but mostly taking them to the casino. She had a great sense of humor, a strong will, and was fearless. She took pride in her ability to feed her friends and family at every opportunity. Though her early life was tainted with sorrow, she overcame it with joy never missing an opportunity to embrace it and enjoy it fully. We take comfort in knowing that her suffering is over, and she is now resting in the kingdom of heaven with the love of her life, her daughter, and her son.