On May 22, 1940 he married Isabel Rosales Ballon and had 9 children of their own; Ernesto, Florante, Godofredo, Samuel, Teodoro Jr., Myrna Octavio, Rowena and Lita. His family grew even larger after having 28 grandchildren and 28 more great-grandchildren.
A high school graduate but later fell in love with carpentry and thus became his primary profession. He served his country during the Second World War in the 40’s during the Japanese invasion of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. He later on moved on and served his beloved Barangay as a Council member in the 1970’s and went as far Active Barangay Captain when the incumbent Officer in charge can no longer continue to run the office.
Tatang had his chance to further explore and share his knowledge when he migrated to the United States by virtue of his son Godofredo who enlisted in the United States Navy. Here in the United States, seeing that more and more migrants from his hometown, he and his fellow La Pazeneans decided to start the La Pazenean Association USA and held its first gathering in 1986 in honor of their Patron Saint Nuestra Señora de la Paz. To this date this gathering and celebration continues annually.
This loving, soft spoken and kind hearted being went on to meet his creator early Sunday morning at the exact date of 17 of February 2013 at Paradise Valley Hospital where his loving and strong willed better half Nanang Sabel refused to leave his side. A Testimony to the vow they promised each other so many years ago “Till Death Do Us Part”.
There is a lot more to tell about this great man, but let me conclude by sharing a passage which reflects his whole being, how he lived his life and how he shared everything he had. “The purpose of life is not be happy-but to matter, to be productive, to be useful and to have it make some difference that you have lived at all”
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