Fe Isabel C Gorospe

FE was the third daughter of Arsenia Soriano and David Cruz. Her sisters were Adalia (eldest – deceased), and Mira. They also had a brother, who was the youngest, Solomon (deceased). Fe was named after her aunt Isabel who was a nursing student at Mary Johnston School of Nursing. Her Aunt Isabel played softball for the school but she caught pneumonia and passed away from it.

Fe attended Tangos Elementary School from Grade 1 to Grade 6. After elementary, she enrolled at Wesleyan High School, then at Union High School of Manila. During their Senior year, Fe was chosen as Miss Senior and Muse of the Senior Basketball Team. In June of 1954 she was accepted at Harris Memorial College to major in Kindergarten Education and she graduated in 1957.

After graduating, Fe was assigned to work in various Methodist churches : Taytay United Methodist Church, Naga City United Methodist Church, Tangos UMC, and St. Mark’s UMC. While at St. Mark’s UMC, Fe met a man, Benjamin Jr, who was an active leader in the young adult group. He courted Fe and at the end of Fe’s term at St. Mark’s, they got married on January 12, 1960. They lived in Tangos, Navotas City, Metro Manila and raised their family there.

God blessed Fe and Benjamin with three boys, Benhur (Benjie), Beltecezar (Joy), and Benjamin III (Bing). Even while raising three active boys, Fe was still active in church work in Women’s Society in Christian Service (WSCS) groups holding position in the local and district levels. In 1979 she started teaching Kindergarten again in the following churches: St. Paul’s UMC, Good Samaritan UMC, Grace Park UMC, and Church of the Risen Lord – University of the Philippines.

In 1984, Fe and Ben migrated to the USA with Joy and Bing. Their eldest son, Benjie, was left because he was over the age limit and cannot be included with their visa to the US.

Fe held various jobs in her active years including being a Certified Nurse’s Assistant for 13 years, she also worked at the Salvation Army office until she had to stop because she had scoliosis on her back.

Settling in Chula Vista, Fe and Ben were very active in church, attending Nestor UMC in Coronado. They were always organizing the annual Filipino Sunday at church. From the speakers to the food, the songs, all by the Filipino congregation.

Her husband Benjamin, passed away on November 3, 2011 because of poor health. Even when she was disabled by scoliosis, she seldom missed going to church. Every Christmas season, she would give out copies of the “Daily Guideposts” to the sick and friends in the church. She was always giving funds to support the bible studies done in the Philippines. When the church in the Philippines burned down some years past, she was always trying to raise donations towards rebuilding it. Fe was able to see the results of her hard work when she visited Tangos UMC rebuilt again, during her last October 2023 visit.

Fe passed peacefully in her sleep on January 8, 2024. Her loved ones having said farewell to her. Having told her we all loved her. Her guidance and spirit lives on in her sons, her grandchildren, her relatives and her friends. She will be remembered as one who continually let God guide her and showed everyone of us through her actions how to face life, always with God’s guidance. Fe’s legacy will be on how we will continue to live and we will always honor her memories with the way we act the way she did.

We Love You Mom.