Gertrudes Armas Manalansan

Gertrudes Armas Manalansan went to be with our Lord on the afternoon of June 14, 2022. She was 95 years old. 

Gertrudes was born on January 30, 1927 in Honolulu, Hawaii as the first child to Ruperto Armas Sr. and Natalia Tatoy. She often reminisced on her childhood, playing with her neighbor who nicknamed her, Ding Ding Mama, swinging on the roots of a banyan trees in the middle of the street and with her brothers, Ruperto and Antonio. Her mother taught her and brothers how to play piano and sing together. She also learned to sew her own clothes. From a young age, she was her mother’s right hand recalling her father being out to sea often while he was in the Navy. This helped shape her into a person who was dedicated to her family, always wanting to take care of others.

Her father retired from the Navy in 1934 and their family set sail for the Philippines. They moved to Lubao, Pampanga, where they lived a simple life. In 1941, Loreta was born and Gertrudes was so happy to have a baby sister. But just 15 days after her birth, World War 2 started in the Philippines. Their family witnessed soldiers traveling in front of their house, bombs dropping causing the earth to shake, and Japanese planes shooting around them while traveling through rice fields on their way to a remote barrio to hide. During the Japanese occupation, their family layed low and tried to stay out of sight. While in hiding, her mother Natalia passed away in 1942 due to heart failure. Her mother’s last words were, “take care of your baby sister.” This was a request that Gertrudes and her brothers took very seriously, caring for their baby sister Loreta, even into adulthood.

Gertrudes worked hard to become a teacher after the war and worked at Remedios Elementary School for 23 years. She took a caring yet stern position at the head of the classroom, enjoying both the challenge of teaching and feeling rewarded when her students received good marks at the end of the year. She was married to her profession until she was introduced to her cousin’s coworker, Melquiades “Deck” Manalansan. They married shortly thereafter.

In 1962, Gertrudes and Deck welcomed their first born child, Elroy, into the world.  God blessed Gertrudes and Deck with two more children; Evelyn in 1963 and Remedios in 1964. She often said that this chapter of her life, her marriage to Deck and raising her children Elroy, Evelyn, and Remedios, was the happiest time of her life. Her greatest treasure were her children, and her greatest joy was raising and caring for children of her own. This would become the cornerstone for the remainder of her life. She and Deck wanted the American Dream for their children, so they decided to move their family from Pampanga to California. In 1975, Gertrudes moved to California and her children joined her shortly thereafter. Tragically, before Deck was able to join them, he passed away due to asthma. This left Gertrudes a widow and single mother in Port Hueneme, CA with her three young kids.

She worked diligently to be the sole provider for her children working as an engineering assistant in an airplane parts manufacturing warehouse. She sewed her children’s clothes until they were old enough to get their own jobs and help support their tight knit family. As they grew up, she taught them to be kind, work hard and live humbly.

When Gertrudes retired and her children grew into adults, she moved to Aliso Viejo, CA with her youngest daughter. In the last chapter of her life, she was always surrounded by family and was able to see her family tree grow and flourish, first as a grandmother and as a great-grandmother in the last few years of her life. While enjoying her sunset years, Gertrudes was also able to explore hobbies such as Sudoku and occasionally indulge in her favorite pass-time, the slot machines. She started a project, documenting her life experiences, collecting and putting together pictures and documents of life events for her children and grandchildren.

Gertrudes passed away peacefully in Aliso Viejo, CA on June 14, 2022, after a consequential and extraordinary 95-year life journey. She is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

From Hawaii to the Philippines to California, Gertrudes touched the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing her. She was patient, kind, and caring and there is no doubt that she has made an impact on this Earth with her compassion and nurturing personality. From the children she taught as a teacher in the Philippines, to the foundation and roots she built for her family in the US, the love Gertrudes extended and the memories with her will live on for many generations to come. We love you forever and will NEVER forget you.