Obituary of Esther Corpuz Martinez

She was born Esther Corpuz Martinez on  March 27, 1923  in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Eventually, the family moved from different cities and settled in Cavite City for the majority of her upbringing.

Esther was very talented and took a passion for music growing up. She took piano and voice lessons from her teacher Rosendo Santos until World War II broke out. Once the Japanese invaded the Philippines, it was a matter of survival. My aunt Esther entertained the Japanese officers with her singing as a way to earn money for food and help her family survive. When the evacuation came, the entire family fled and Esther brought with her, not clothes and other essentials but her books and piano pieces. To her, music was so important to her she could not leave them behind.

After the war, she finished her studies in education at Far Eastern University and later became a fourth year high school English teacher at Manila High School in Tondo, Manila. She was a versatile teacher because, in addition to teaching English, she taught other people in becoming seamstresses, which was one of her other many talents. She loved to make clothes and would sew outfits for any special occasion. She continued to teach in the Philippines until she migrated to the United States in the early eighties. Her passion for people continued and she worked in nursing homes in the bay area.

Later in her life, she still yearned to teach and tutored English until the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease began to manifest itself.

Even with the manifestation, Esther continued to do things she was passionate about. Thanks to the Windsor Ridge convalescent, who specialized with patients with memory issues, she was able to entertain the other residents by playing the piano until the very end.

Devotion and Memories of Generosity:

Aunt Esther was a devout catholic. Before Alzheimer’s, she could pray the God the father rosary-all fifteen decs in one sitting; she was ebullient. In addition to her teaching job, she found time to join the choir at the Lady of Sorrows Church, Pasay City and Baclaran Church, Paranaque, Manila.  In Pasay City, she sang at the church, solo; the song “O Holy Night".

Aunt Esther was not only a devout catholic but had the most generous heart. One of my fondest memory is that she would bring home food and continue lesson plans whenever she would come home after work more than 12 hours and have little energy left. Despite the long days, she would always make sure we were taken care of and ensure we flourished in our studies. But as studious as she was, she was still able to have fun and enjoy herself always being generous of her time. During the weekends, while living in Pasay, we would take the double decker bus and later watch the sunset at Manila Bay at the water breaks. Later we would have some popcorn and 'kropeck" (shrimp crisps) in Luneta and go to the movies.

Aunt Esther was a loving, devoted soul who was passionate about music, art, and life. She understood that we have only one life and must live it to the fullest, and that she did. Her sense of humor will only be loved by the some segment of Filipino society.

She is survived by her sisters; Corazon De Guzman and Emma Lomibao: son; Michael Centeno: nephews and nieces; Gerardo De Guzman, Sandra Wade, Nee Tandoc, Uly Tandoc, Jennifer Tandoc, Robbie Lomibao, Rick Lomibao and Patricia Lomibao, Alex Martinez, Beverly Martinez and Alvin Martinez.