Jesus Suba Medina Jr.

Jesus Suba Medina, Jr., also known by his nickname “Jesse” or “Puti”, was born on November 5, 1979 in Pampanga, Philippines. He was the third son among the four sons of Jesus Samson Medina, Sr. and Zenaida Suba Medina. He acquired the nickname “Puti” because he was born with a light skin color and looked White/Caucasian.

On July 4, 1990, Jesse and his family migrated to San Jose, California along with the Suba and Magcalas families. Within the same year, he continued his schooling at Hellyer Elementary School as a 4th grader. He and his family moved to Los Angeles the next year and he finished his grade school studies at Dayton Heights Elementary School. He graduated from Virgil Middle School in 1994. Due to his outstanding academic record, he was accepted to attend high school at Bravo Medical Magnet High School which is recognized as one of the best high schools in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report and is also a recipient of the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive. He was smart, studious, and had been a straight A student throughout his high school years. He was also nationally recognized on the list of “Who’s Who Among American High School Students” which honored high school students who excelled in academics. He graduated from high school in 1998. His dedication and perseverance paid off by getting accepted on a full scholarship to the University of California, Riverside (UCR). He graduated from college in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Business. Jesse was the only one in his family to earn a college degree which made his parents and brothers very proud.

After graduating from college, Jesse decided to move to Brattleboro, Vermont to seek better opportunities for himself with the help of his best friend Dennis Munsinger. He ended up working for an organic food company where he was mainly responsible for tracking their important shipments. When Dennis passed away two years ago, Jesse decided to move back to the Bay Area to be with his family who gave him much needed love and support.

Jesse was kind, dedicated, loving, and was always fun to be around. He loved spending time with his family, especially his nephews and nieces. He also loved animals and adopted several dogs and cats throughout his life. He loved his dog, Kodi, so much that he also created him his own Facebook account. He loved to dine and try different types of cuisine with his friends. He was a happy person who always had a smile on his face every time you saw him.

Jesus Suba Medina, Jr. passed away on June 24, 2012 at the young age of 32. He is survived by his loving mom, three brothers, three nephews, four nieces, and his beloved dog, Kodi.

Rest in peace, “Puti”. You will be dearly missed and will remain in our hearts forever. We love you, Jesse!