Fe Soberano Kempis

Fe Soberano Kempis, known by her loved ones as “Mamang,” passed away on Sunday, May 20, 2012 due to a six month-long battle with liver cancer. After 81 long years of serving as a devout daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, coworker, and friend, Fe left this world to join our Heavenly Father surrounded by family at her residence in Milpitas, CA.

On June 12, 1930, Mamang was born in a sailboat off the coast of her hometown, Aborlan, Palawan, Philippines. Born to Doroteo Hilado Soberano and Clara Teruel Ternal, she was raised in Aborlan and went on to pursue a degree in Home Economics at the University of Santo Tomas, located in Manila. Subsequently, she began working as a teacher in Home Economics at the Palawan National Agricultural College. In 1952, Fe married Percival Kempis, with whom she had six beautiful, healthy children.

In April of 1980, Fe immigrated to the United States in hopes of attaining a better lifestyle for her family. After 20 years of nurturing her own children, Mamang’s caretaking continued in the form of raising her twelve grandchildren. When she was not busy teaching her grandchildren grammar, mathematics, and how to properly sing Tagalog nursery songs, she spent her free time cooking, praying, and watching sports.

Fe will always be remembered as a devout Catholic, an excellent cook, a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a gentle and kind-hearted friend. She is survived by her husband Percival and her siblings Alfredo, Belen, Victor, and Antonio. Fe is also survived by her children Marilyn, Ambrosio, Nimrod, Ben, Percival Jr., and Perla, as well as her grandchildren Jairus, Kevin, Hannah, Mary, Kenneth, Alexa, Jennyrose, Jace, Josh, Ariana, Anjelica, and Beau Jed.

Mamang’s rosary and prayer vigil will be held at Lima Family Milpitas Fremont Mortuary on Thursday, May 31. On Friday, June 1, a memorial service will be held in her honor at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Milpitas, CA at 9:00am. Burial will follow at Cedar Lawn Memorial Park.