Jorge Banez Felix

Jorge Felix, 75 passed away--- beloved father, friend, doctor, and dreamer Most people know him as the good-natured man, always ready with his impeccable suit and a smile. To many he was a doctor, always with a thirst for knowledge. To some, he was your expert troubleshooter at work, always ready with an answer. To the lucky few, he was the best chef for beef stew. To his daughters, he was their dad with a generous soul. To his wife, he was the gentleman with an unwavering heart. It is easy to say that Jorge Felix was an enigma- always quiet and unassuming but underneath all that mystery, was a man of many stories and great aspirations. A man who loved deeply, in his own little ways. A man who was a dreamer through and through --- and unlike many of us, he got to live those dreams. Jorge was a dreamer in action from his younger days to his very last years. Born in December 8, 1941, Jorge came from humble beginnings in a little town called Cuyapo in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. One of the sons of Abdon and Segunda Felix, as a child he always dreamed of becoming a doctor. He was so studious, he loved tutoring everyone in his class. He loved reading and learning non-stop, he would stay up for hours just rummaging through dozens of medical books. Because for him, dreaming always comes in action. The dream came true for him when he graduated with his medical degree in Manila Central University and as a young man in his 20s, he got to practice medicine. He worked as a general doctor in the Marian Hospital, and later became the company physician for both General Motors and Shell Philippines. But soon his dreams were not merely focused on being a doctor. He met the love of his life, the beautiful and strong-willed teacher, Marfelita. Now his dreams were focused on her and a future of happiness with this woman. Like a man turning his dreams into reality, he pursued her with a relentless but gentle heart. They were married in 1975. Later, they flew to the United States to build a brighter future and have his dream family in Seattle, Washington. Jorge was blessed with three lovely daughters, and he realized, his dreams were no longer just focused on himself. Instead, he turned the spotlight on them. Jorge worked hard to make sure his daughters will go to the best schools and have blessed futures. He juggled jobs at Fred Hutchinson’s Institute, Dynacare Laboratories, Swedish Medical Center, and most recently the University of Washington; where they all knew him as “Mr. Problem Solved” because of the great finesse in his work. Jorge was an all-around dad. He drove his children around, from school, to dance practices, to their championship games, to their nerve-wracking first day at their jobs. He was a chef, a sneaky driving instructor, a photographer, and even a foodie hunter as they find the best fried chicken in a random Shell Gas Station. He may not have been the most expressive type but he loved his beautiful daughters and wife deeply. He loved them, because he made sure that this time, it was their dreams and happiness in action. Jorge was a simple man, who loved a lot of things. He always had an immense thirst for knowledge. He would watch endless hours of the History Channel and National Geographic specials. His favorite spot was still the library. At 65 years old, he got his Real Estate license and enjoyed it. He loved teaching fellow phlebotomists. He loved speaking to his neighbors in different Filipino dialects. In his last years as he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Jorge never stopped dreaming. He still would be independent learning bus routes just to find a library, he was still practicing his typing skills, and he still loved trying to learn some more with the little that he could take. Last March 20th, Jorge passed away peacefully at his home. He was survived by his Wife, Marfelita Felix. His Children, Chatrice Felix-Beza & Randy Beza, Charmaine Felix, Chanelle Felix. His grandchildren: Demarco and Enrico Beza. And his siblings: Aurelio, Victoria and Araceli. He also leaves behind a sea of family and friends who loved him. Jorge may no longer be with us, but we ask that we live by his lessons which is to dream and grab hold of that. He was a dreamer in action and for this, we celebrate his life.