Honrado Vergara Teope

Honrado Vergara Teope, 76, died on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 after a courageous battle with complications of diabetes. Teope was born on Jan. 3, 1936 in the Philippines. He was preceded in death by his father Estanislao Teope, mother Regina Vergara and a younger brother, Leopaldo.

Teope retired from the U.S. Navy in 1980 as a chief electrician’s mate after serving 20 years of active duty. He was commissioned in the IRS as a revenue representative shortly after leaving the Navy, but resigned after four years in order to pursue a career with the Navy’s Civilian Financial Management Program.

Teope was subsequently assigned as an auditor at Headquarters of Commander, Training Command, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMTRALANT). Additionally, he managed and coordinated the Internal Control/Management Control Program (IC/MCP) for all 17 subordinate shore-based commanders. He was also the investigator of fraud, waste and abuse assigned by the Inspector General for commander-in-chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) and Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET), respectively.

He retired as a GS-12 after 32 years of combined federal service. He was also a Red Cross volunteer for three years after his first retirement.

Teope is survived by Concepcion, his wife of 49 years and his high school and college sweetheart; his three children Cheryl and husband Donovan Burk of Chesapeake, Va.; retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Herbert Teope of Junction City, Kan.; and Charlene and husband Jean-Paul Migrditchian of San Ramon, Calif.; along with two grandsons, Alexander and Joshua.

Teope, who held a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of the East in the Philippines and an Associate in Applied Science from Tidewater Community College, took immense pride in seeing his three children earn college degrees: Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Old Dominion University; Herbert holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University; and Charlene holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Virginia Tech.

Other survivors are his siblings in the Philippines: Adelfa and husband Felicito Posada; Elsa and husband Armando Tianzon; Carlito and wife Beatrice; Carolina and late husband Alejandro Tenerife; Marilyn and husband Eduardo Garcia; and Delia and husband Lito Bernal. He is also survived by 38 nephews and nieces.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m., Monday, June 11, at Smith and Williams Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel. A Funeral Mass will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, at JEB Little Creek Chapel. Burial will follow with full military honors at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery, Suffolk, VA. You may pay condolences to the family at www.smithandwilliamskempsville.com.

The family wishes to extend gratitude to the health care team, especially Dr. Eric C. Lipton, all of whom went above and beyond in assuring Teope’s comfort during his final days. Lastly, the family requests in lieu of flowers, charitable memorial donations are made to either the American Diabetes Association or American Heart Association.