Eduardo Alunan Coronado

Eduardo Alunan Coronado was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “Mighty in Deeds and Not in Words.” He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Eduardo was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Eduardo said something, he meant it.

His parents were Aproniano Coronado and Isabel Alunan Coronado. Eduardo was proud to be an Alunan. The Alunan forefathers were one of the first Spanish landowners in the Philippines. Eduardo was related to Rafael Alunan Sr., Philippine Agriculture Secretary (1928-1932, 1941-1942). Eduardo was raised in Mandaluyong Rizal, Philippines. Even as a small child, Eduardo wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. He was naturally shy and enjoyed his alone time in the garden. He expressed himself best in written form.

While he was growing up in the Philippines, Eduardo sought to treat those around him with respect. He often found himself in the role of playing peacemaker within his family. Eduardo was raised with four older and one younger sibling. He had siblings, Esperanza, Oscar, Napoleon, Ernesto and Alicia. Eduardo was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. Eduardo and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they shared many life experiences.

During his childhood, family and friends viewed Eduardo as a quiet and reserved person with what most would consider a calm and tranquil demeanor. In fact, he was a fairly curious child who had the ability to entertain himself and didn’t require much in the way of outside stimulation. A great deal of Eduardo’s free time was spent learning how and why the things around him worked. He was an active child who loved being outdoors and absorbing all the sensory input that nature could provide. In his spare time he liked playing Chess, playing Majong, and taking care of his dogs. He also loved to take care of his nieces and nephews. He would pick them up for Sunday family reunions at Lola Isabel’s house. He would run after the younger ones to feed them their bottle and often took their lunches to them at school.

He relished the task of scrutinizing problems, investigating all of the options and then solving them. Eduardo enjoyed tackling the project that was right in front of him and working it straight through to its conclusion. Sometimes, he would become so involved in the process of problem solving that he would lose awareness of his surroundings. Experience was Eduardo’s best teacher. He graduated from High School around 1940. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite classes in high school were Business and Accounting.

The same qualities that served as assets for Eduardo while he was in high school were tools that built success in his college years. Eduardo was an analytical and an independent thinker, qualities that allowed him to develop and implement effective strategies and techniques to meet his college workload. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Banking & Finance from Far Eastern University, Philippines. His favorite courses were in Commerce and Finance.

Those who didn’t know Eduardo well might have thought him to be objective and somewhat emotionally detached, but family and friends who were close to him knew that he was capable of unexpected flashes of humor and kind deeds. Eduardo’s good friends tended to be “thinkers” like himself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Eduardo to spend his free time with them. Eduardo was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding his true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from his friends because they understood and appreciated him for the person he was. Another quality that people admired in Eduardo was his ability to do nice things for his family, friends, and people in need.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Eduardo shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On December 21, 1960, Eduardo exchanged wedding vows with Primitiva Canlas at the Our Lady of Lourdes, Quezon City, Philippines. Eduardo was very romantic. He would send roses to Primitiva every week during their courtship even when he worked overseas. He adored her and expressed his love so well in his love letter that it melted her heart. He would follow her anywhere. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Eduardo’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Primitiva's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Eduardo was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. He immigrated to America because it was Primitiva’s dream to practice there someday. Eduardo was blessed with two children, a son, Edward and daughter, Maria. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Andrew, Anja, Gabriella, Lukas and Audrey.

In his work life, Eduardo was the kind of person who had no difficulty in taking on a project and seeing it through to its completion. He excelled at dealing with those pesky details that can derail some people, and once he understood exactly why he was working on a project, he could plow full steam ahead. For Eduardo, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to him in appreciating its importance. His primary occupation was business. He was employed for 15 years Shipping Receiving and 5 years as an Entrepreneur. He later became the primary caregiver for his children, when Primitiva did her residency in Psychiatry, which culminated into a Medical Director Position. He also became Primitiva’s primary caregiver when she became blind. Eduardo was an incredibly patient caregiver. Caring for his family was the most important job of his life.

Eduardo’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced his choice of leisure pursuits as well. He particularly enjoyed the “alone” time his hobbies provided. His favorite pursuits were Fruit Tree Gardening, Chess, Classical Music, Dancing the Waltz, and Travelling. Eduardo was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Eduardo appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Places he’s been included the Philippines, Vietnam, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Coronado Island and Wake Island. He thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as he prepared for an upcoming trip for his family.

Eduardo was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Eduardo’s favorites was a German Shepherd Dog. They were best friends and he actually cooked food for this dog!

Religion and faith were important to Eduardo. He held dear the faith and values he derived from his beliefs. He was a member of the Catholic Church. He was a devout Catholic and attended masses regularly until his illness. He prayed the rosary every day with his wife until he was hospitalized.

Eduardo passed away on August 27, 2010 at Colonial Columns Nursing Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Eduardo passed away due to Chronic Renal Failure. He was on dialysis for about 6 years. He could no longer endure the pain of the needles. He is survived by his wife, Primitiva, son, Edward and daughter, Maria. Services were held at Divine Redeemer Catholic Church. Eduardo will be laid to rest in South Cemetery in Makati, Philippines.

Eduardo strongly believed that talk is cheap. He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. Eduardo A. Coronado will be greatly missed.