She was born in Bacolod City, Philippines on September 29, 1925. Delia received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and her Master of Arts in Nursing Administration and Nursing Education from Columbia University in New York.
She was married to Wesley Goggins on April 28, 1956.
Delia had a long and celebrated career in nursing. She served as the Chief Nurse at the Manila Children’s Hospital, Nursing Supervisor at Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital, Assistant Director of Nursing at UCLA Medical Center, and Director of Nursing at Kaiser Foundation Hospital.
She was appointed to the California Board of Registered Nursing by California Governor Jerry Brown, making her the first Filipino-American to hold such a position in the United States. She was on the Board for over a decade and served as President for several years.
Delia also held many high-ranking positions at nursing organizations, including multiple terms as President of the Filipino Nurses Club of Southern California, which became the Philippine Nurses’ Association of Southern California during her tenure.
She is survived by her daughter, Gwyn Williams; her son-in-law, Eric Scheel; her granddaughters, Taylor Freitas, Courtney Freitas, and Lauren Todd; and her grandson, Jackson Todd.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.OlingerAndrews.com for the Goggins family.
