Mel P. Estiandan

When Melanio P. Estiandan walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Mel was and how he impacted those around him. Mel was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Mel wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. He was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.

Mel was born on May 18, 1946 to Ariston and Carmen Estiandan, and was raised in Manila, Philippines. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Mel might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that Mel was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.

He was raised with 11 siblings: Ariston, Rene, Roly, Mandy, Carlos, Crispulo, Rafael, Tita, Carmencita, Evelina, and Manuel. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Mel was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Mel well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.

As a young boy, Mel was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Mel was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Mel took part in bowling and basketball, and in his spare time he liked playing with marbles, playing outside, climbing trees, singing, and dancing. Mel had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.

During his high school years, Mel responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. He was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. For Mel, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Mel a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything.

During this time, Mel found his passion, music. He loved to sing and played the piano and guitar like a master. His love for music would propel him to write and record his own songs. He participated in bands around the world and sang with various choirs, chorales, and music groups. This passion would stay with him throughout his life and this talent extended to the next generation. Mel, however, was the maestro.

Mel did well in college, as a result of his comfort level with tackling new theories and his love of learning. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Commerce. Mel was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Mel's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that he enjoyed virtually every class he took. Mel was always in quest of new things to learn and experience.

Mel was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Mel, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Estiandan home. Mel's skill at understanding his children's feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Mel was blessed with four children: Anna, Robert, Christopher, and Angela. He was also blessed with 10 grandchildren: Ryan, Kaitlyn, Ethan, Kristin, Alyssa, Clara, Matthew, Nyah, Emma, and Cameron.

Mel was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. His primary occupation was as an accounting supervisor at Meralco from 1968-1988. In the spring of 1988, he packed his family and moved to San Fernando Valley, California. He worked as the administrator of a medical practice from 1988-1997 then became owner of two home health agencies from 1997-2019. Mel was enterprising and inventive, and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. Mel had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. Mel's fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Mel loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. His favorite pursuits were cooking, playing piano, making custom stationary, graphic arts, crossword puzzles, and social gatherings. Mel had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. Mel was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were basketball, boxing, and anything in which his grandchildren participated.

Throughout his life, Mel was actively involved in professional and community organizations. He was compassionate, accommodating, and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Mel seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Mel usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with him, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. In high school, Mel was a member of the Glee Club. Throughout his later years, Mel was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, and Meralco Chorale.

Because Mel was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, he always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Mel's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made him a great asset. Mel found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Politically, Mel was a Republican.

Mel was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and he used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for his beliefs.

Though he never did anything solely for individual recognition, Mel's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned him accolades for his many lifelong efforts. Some of his most prestigious awards included Outstanding President of the Lions Club -- 4th District.

Mel's love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of traveling. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Mel took his vacations seriously, well, as seriously as he possibly could. Favorite vacations included Asian Tours, European Tours, Mexican, Canadian, and Alaskan Cruises.

When Mel's retirement finally came in 2013, Mel handled it the way he usually did. He adapted and, like everything in his life, made it satisfying. Because he was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Mel to master. Even in retirement, Mel continued to stay in touch with his old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.

Mel Estiandan passed away on May 6, 2019 at Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is survived by his four children, ten grandchildren, and five brothers and sisters. Services were held at Palm Southwest Mortuary in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mel was laid to rest in San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, California.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Mel. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Melanio Estiandan for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Mel was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones.