After graduating from high school in 1959, we didn’t see Lilia (Lai) and other classmates until July 1985 when a reunion was held for our class (and one from class ‘55) in Baltimore, Maryland. To say we were all excited to see each other after 26 years is an understatement! Lai, was one of the organizers from the East Coast, helping Luming & Gil Hernandez, Art Leonin, Betty Adeva Cartera, Hidolfo Nepomuceno. 

We saw Lai again in Baltimore at another visit to the area when Betty & Joe Cartera hosted a bbq. I remember her talking about her sons. One was on the way to Iraq then. Other times we saw Lai was at different international reunions. Talking about high school, classmates, Journalism class and MAPAZETTE always took place. Beautiful memories!

My husband Tony was also Lai’s classmate in our junior and senior years. In photo, Tony is standing second from left

Lilia or “Lai” was part of our Mapa High School high school barkada from first year to graduation (1955-1959.) We were seated close to each other because of our surnames starting with M. So it was Lydia Maclang; Celia Manansala; Sonia Margallo; and Eloisa Merced. Lai although Guinto became part of the group because she was seated on the last row before the Ms. Having the same interests we gravitated towards each other. Eloisa transferred to Mapua and we lost touch with her. 

During summer vacations Lai and l would exchange letters full of nonsense but we were quite indefatigable correspondents. We would fill up sheets of intermediate pad paper and l think we wrote each other almost every other day. Bring both talkative and talking at miles per hour we probably secreted a lot of saliva. 

My last interaction with Lai was during our Golden Jubilee in 2009. We spent several nights -Lai, Lydia, Sonia and l - in the penthouse of Lydia in Legaspi Village. I think we hardly slept but just reminisced; talked about “secrets”; lots of juicy gossip (wouldn’t you wish you knew);  stuffed ourselves - (take note there were many Resto in that area.)

It was one of the happiest times of our group, We kept in touch through emails which we were able to keep going for sometime. But soon, Lai became “in absentia” and we didn’t hear from her anymore except for snippets from US classmates like Betty Africa and Nep Nepomuceno. 

And now this...❤️...

May the soul of Lai Rest In Peace in the Perpetual Light of the Lord.

May your travel be swift, Lai. I will include you in my prayers and will offer a mass for your soul’s penance that your trip to heaven be quickly traversed. 

I wasn’t fortunate enough to know Lilia very well. We only met a few times but I remember her as a sweet, lovely person. And looking through this wonderful collection of photos, it is very clear she enjoyed a wonderful and fulfilling life. 

Our deepest sympathies to the whole family.