On Saturday, September 16, 2023, Leonora Caga-anan Aguhar, a beloved mother, sister, and grandmother, passed away in her home in Bellaire, Texas. She was seventy-seven years old. Born in Lila, Bohol, Philippines on June 28, 1946 she was the second child of seven children of Alfonsa and Zenon Caga-anan. Leonora immigrated to America in 1969, first to New Jersey, and then to Chicago where she married Marino Aguhar on December 17, 1979; she was widowed in 2019. Together they had three children, Christine, Michael, and Mark. Leonora is survived by her son Michael Aguhar, her daughter-in-law Irina Zadov, and her cherished grand-daughter Zoya Avra Zadov-Aguhar.
Leonora was an active, devout member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. She was known to be friendly, quick to smile, and share stories of her grandchild Zoya. When she wasn’t attending daily mass, Leonora loved to travel and was fiercely independent, visiting many international cities with her siblings and friends. A diligent, hard worker, Leonora worked for over 20 years at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as a medical technologist. In her early years in America, she worked several jobs to support her family in Philippines and pay the expenses of her siblings’ schooling. An adamant gift-giver, Leonora loved to shower her grandnieces and grandnephews with Garrett’s popcorn from Chicago, candy, and cookies. She loved her home in Bellaire, Texas and through many hurricanes and floods, she persevered and enjoyed hosting people. More than anything, she loved her family, her friends, and her faith.
A memorial vigil and viewing will be Sunday, September 24, 2023 from 4pm to 8pm at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston Texas 77077. The Novena prayer will begin at 5pm followed by Sunday Mass at 6pm.
Funeral mass will be Monday, September 25, 2023 at 10am at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas 77025. Her interment will follow at 11:30am at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery alongside her husband Marino Aguhar and children Christine Aguhar and Mark Aguhar. Attendees are encouraged to wear white to the funeral in consideration of the heat.
The final Novena prayer and Mass will also be on Monday, September 25, 2023 at 6pm at the Aguhar Home, 4400 Edith St, Bellaire, Texas 77401.