Esther Ordinario Galvan's Obituary
Esther Ordinario Galvan passed away on July 9, 2010, at the age of 82 in Eureka, California. She was born January 10, 1928 in the northern Luzon town of Balaoan, LaUnion, Philippines, the youngest of 10 children born to Cecilio Peralta Ordinario and Emeteria Fajardo Ordinario. She graduated from the University of the Philippines and became a teacher. In 1956 she married Crispulo Ubongen and emigrated to the United States. In 1958 her only child Aleli Grace was born and the family settled in Berkeley, California. She was very proud to become a naturalized US citizen in 1961. She worked as a laboratory technician in the Biochemistry Department at UC Berkeley, taught 3rd and 7th grades at St. Barnabas Elementary School in Alameda, then was a court clerk in both the traffic and criminal divisions for the County of Alameda until her retirement in 1989. After Esther and Paul divorced, in 1972 she married Gene Galvan. They resided in Oakland enjoying an intensely loving relationship remaining very active in civic and social organizations until Gene’s unexpected sudden death in 1978. Esther began a life of public service through various Filipino organizations including the Filipino Community of Oakland, the La Union Circle of America, the Buang Circle, the Legionarios Del Trabajo in America, the Filipino American Political Association and the Caballeros de Dimas Alang. She was a member and past Worthy Matron of Nova Dies-Oakland Chapter #410, Order of the Eastern Star. In 1980, Gov Jerry Brown appointed her as State Fair Commissioner and she served for 4 years. In 1984 she was honored as the Most Outstanding Immigrant by the International Institute of the East Bay. From 1990-94 she served as a Commissioner to the City of Oakland Citizens-Police Review Board. She was a parishoner at St. Jarlath Catholic Church and an active member of the Filipino Catholic Community of St. Jarlath. She resided in Oakland until a cancer diagnosis in 2006 when she moved to Eureka to be closer to family. After chemotherapy she enjoyed 3 years of remission until the cancer returned in March. She is survived by her daughter & husband, Aleli & Lonnie Lawson of Eagle Point, Oregon, granddaughter Leia Schultz and partner Wayne Lourence of Eureka, stepgranchildren Brenda Lawson Cloney of Eagle Point and Brian Lawson of Keizer, OR and their families; stepchildren Gloria Wright of San Francisco, Anne Rego of Clayton, and Bill Galvan of Colorado Springs, CO and their families; nieces Corazon Butler of Modesto, Ruby Agnir of Wesley Chapel, FL, Elsie Weil of Ann Arbor, MI, and nephew Sadiri Ordinario of Santa Clara and their families, along with many other cousins, nieces and nephews in the United States and the Philippines. Arrangements are under Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. Visitation will be Wednesday, July 14 and Thursday, July 15 from 5:00-8:00 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Jarlath Church, 2620 Pleasant St., Oakland on Friday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m. followed by interment at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo.
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