Consuelo Aquino's Obituary
Consuelo Notarte Ordonez (September 12, 1936 – February 19, 2019) was born in San Roque, Cavite City, Philippines and later moved to Olongapo as a young girl. Despite very little schooling, Connie, was street smart and business savvy. After meeting her husband, Cornelio Aquino, her appetite for business and adventure grew. To support their growing family, Nanay and Tatay ran several business operations with the help of their children. They supplied and delivered household staples and dry goods, ran a busy neighborhood bodega, a sari-sari store, and rented apartments to local families. At night, Tatay ran one of the city’s first welding shops.
Connie was a fiercely independent woman. She became known as one of the first women to drive a motorbike in Olongapo. Many people marveled at the sight as she balanced sacks of goods and one of her children on the back of a scooter while making deliveries to clients. When Nanay learned how to drive, she would make curbside deliveries along with wrought iron gates, window grills, and fences. She was, by many standards, a modern day working woman. Between her and Tatay, they concentrated on growing their business and raising their five children.
As their children grew older and eventually married and had kids of their own, Nanay and Tatay helped to support and raise their grandchildren. Connie was the epitome of unselfish devotion and spent long hours grocery shopping and cooking for her family. In 1992, Consuelo and Cornelio migrated to southern California and settled down in Long Beach and later San Diego. They enjoyed frequent visits with their families, laughter-filled parties, and going to church. Nanay’s favorite past time was spending the day at the casino and playing the lottery.
Consuelo was a pillar of strength and religiosity. Her prayers were always devoted to her family. She lived to outlast many of her loved ones and continued to seek strength through the word of God. Even during her last days, she worried, sino na ang magdadasal para sa mga anak ko, who will pray for my children?
Nanay’s siblings are Jose “Uncle Boy” (RIP), Felisa “Tita Fel” (RIP), and stepbrothers Rodrigo “Uncle Oding” and Freddie “Uncle Freddie” (RIP) and is survived by her children, Leonora, Aurora, Jesusa, Remedios, and Leo; her grandchildren, Abigail, Paul Joseph, Raymund, Alethea, Allister, Alexa, Alyssa, Mark, Nadine, and Cornelio; and her great grandchildren, Alyssa, Altheia, Tytan, Reece, Mikaela and Kaimana.
Thank you, Nanay for your love and devotion. You will be missed, dearly.
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