Teresita Tecson Martin

We’re gathered to celebrate the life of my best friend and the one true love of my life. She was baptized in 1950 as Teresita in Cebu City in the Philippines. You all, however, know her as Tess or Teri. But for me she will always be my Teresita.

Hers was not an easy life, her parents found themselves in the middle of World War II during the occupation of their home by the Japanese, the liberation by the Americans, and the political upheavals of the following decades. Her mother spent most of the war years in hiding while her father was in the jungles fighting against the invaders. They survived the war to have 5 kids.

Life was hard after the war and for many years afterwards. One of the family stories that is told about her, if you can picture this, is of her as this sweet little child grabbing a chicken by the neck and chopping its head off!

Clearly, not your typical suburban American lifestyle. She came a long way after that. That’s not how you think of her, I’m sure. But it tells you a lot about the world she came from and how she must have dreamed of leaving her island home one day for a better life. She was a very determined person as many of you can testify.

It was that determination that brought her to America and into my life in 1991. We met in Austin, Texas at a dance club… and you should all know or at least guess that I’m not really much of a dancer… at all. No really – two left feet, it’s my curse. And to top it all off I am rather shy and sort of reserved. But she came over to me and insisted, so I got up and did my best. I was really terrible, but she didn’t seem to mind. We were both recent survivors of rather unfortunate marital decisions and were clearly looking for new beginnings and, as it turned out, she was mine. Call it fate. Call it God. Who can tell. But before long it became clear to both of us that we could… no, SHOULD spend the rest of our lives together. Probably the best decision I have ever made… or probably ever will again.

At that time, I was in graduate school finishing my dissertation for a Ph.D. in Economics. She would be rather upset with me if I didn’t brag about having a doctorate (again insight into her). Later when she learned that I wrote my dissertation way back in 1991 on what would become known as Artificial Intelligence many decades later - she would brag about it to anybody who would listen. She was my number one fan. She helped me embrace my shyness and to some extent overcome it. You see, in her eyes I was her whole world and was a more complete person than many saw. But in reality, it was she who completed me. She was my other half in a very sense of the word.

Thanks to her encouragement and support I finally got my degree. She supported us working at Advanced Micro devices in Austin and then by working at a dry cleaners when we moved to Charlotte… can you see her doing that? But she did. We got married that summer (in Austin) and I became an instant father to Melanie and Chris.

I took a job as an economist for the North Carolina National Bank (later to become the Bank of America) and we left Texas for Charlotte, North Carolina. 1991 was a crazy year for us, filled with changes and challenges. That was the year that cemented our relationship forever. We were to stay in Charlotte for 30 years as I rose through the ranks at the bank.

Character isn’t something you can get, you either have it or you don’t. To all of her friends she was a loyal, loving source of unconditional support and strength. She always put the welfare of others above herself and that included me. To her family back in the Philippines she was a never-ending source of support – there’s that word again…support; it seems to suit her. She sent her sibling’s children back in the Philippines to nursing school where they excelled. We sponsored the oldest and he is here in America. The other two are in the pipeline to come to America where Melanie and I will do what we can so they can prosper and find new lives. Not a bad legacy to leave behind, is it.

Time has a way of slipping away from you and after 30 years in Charlotte - we came here to Las Vegas. Our goal was to retire and enjoy life, but the Bank wasn’t having any of that. So, I worked on for another 4 years, finally retiring in November of last year. Our plans were to travel the USA and the World. As you all know, those plans came to an end when she was diagnosed with cancer. It’s said that God moves in mysterious ways. Clearly, he must have some plans to call her to him so soon. I know in my heart that she is now with the angels. One day when I join her again, she will show me her wings and together we will fly all over God’s heaven. We have the promise from the Gospel that; "Those who believe in me shall live forever" So, I will see you again, my sweet buttercup, my Teresita… my dearly beloved, it is a comfort to know that Teresita has the mercy of Jesus Christ.

You, have your own special way, of holding my hand, don't ever let go!