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Obituary for Zoila Abrea Seisa

Zoila “Sue” Abrea Seisa was born in the province of Palawan, Philippines on June 27, 1923. She was the fifth of seven children born to Lucia Dela Cruz and Pedro Abrea. She grew up and attended school in the capital city of Puerto Princesa.

It was during peacetime that Zoila (Mamang) met a charming Philippine-US soldier named Custodio Seisa (Papang) while working as a ticket-taker at the local cinema. After years of romantic courting, they married on May 17, 1949 and settled in Palawan. It wasn’t long that they moved to Manila in pursuit of a better life. Mamang became an entrepreneur and opened a Sari Sari store.  She also ventured in a bus company back in Puerto some years later.

In her aspiration to become a teacher, Mamang obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Philippine Normal and Arellano University Manila. The family returned to Palawan and settled in the rural town of Babuyan where Mamang became an elementary teacher and Papang a farmer. With U.S. credentials after WWII, Papang found work (and later retired) as a civilian employee for the United States Navy. His separation from his family led Papang to eventually petition everyone to join him in San Francisco in 1972. Mamang’s first job in US was with See’s Candies. Encouraged by open opportunities, she obtained a real estate license and transacted businesses across the San Francisco Bay Area. The collapse of real estate boom in 1981 brought our parents to invest in a new business venture in Auburn, California: The Pleasantdale Care Home. They worked out to build the business together and took pride in their achievements. Papang passed away in September 17, 2006 followed recently by Mamang who died peacefully in her sleep at the Pleasantdale on April 26, 2019. She was short of 96 years old.

Mamang became a Believer in Christ because of the American Missionaries who came after WWII. She shared her love for the Lord with her children from birth. She consistently brought them to Sunday School. Bible Studies were held at home. She joyfully witnessed Papang and her children accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. They all served to become servants and witnesses for Christ. Being a Christian and living it to the fullest was everything to her. Her last few years and days in bed were spent in reading her Bible and watching and listening to faithful preachers who fed her God’s Word - the Bible for daily strength.

Zoila is survived by her beloved family:  Lenore (married to Rolly), Custodio “Joel” Jr. (married to Elda), Roy (married to Susan), Elmer (married to Gia), Lottie (married to Jerry), and Dennis (married to the late Agnes); 22 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren; her sister Ciana and many nieces and nephews. She will be remembered for her relentless strength, humor, kindness, generous provisions to many of her loved ones in the Philippines and most especially her faith and true love for Jesus Christ.