Obituary of Emiliana Mateo

Emiliana B. Mateo October 19, 1919 to November 23, 2010 Eternal rest grant on to her o Lord and let the perpetual light shine upon her Emiliana Barcelona Mateo was born in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, the Philippines. She married Joseph M. Mateo, Sr. on June 24, 1944, during World War II. She helped nurse him to health from pain and suffering as captured Prisoner of War and the Bataan Death March. Eventually her husband became a member of the US Army. During their marriage, they lived in the Philippines, Japan, Hawaii and eventually settled in Seaside, California, when her husband of 66 years retired from the military. Though Grandpa Joe ruled the family, Grandma Meling governed. She helped raised 7 children, two of whom retired as officers and one non-commissioned officer in the US Air Force, a Deputy Sheriff, a Director at television station, one works for a high tech corporation and one with a highly classified position with the US Department of Defense. Transitioning from military life to civilian life presented many challenges for the family. One of these challenges meant she had to help supplement family income. As a result, she went to work in the onion fields of Salinas, cleaning and maintaining offices of Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto and as a seamstress with prestigious Robert Talbott in Carmel, California. As a Filipina, family life became the central life of Emiliana. As her priority, she enjoyed spending time with her husband, 7 children, 14 grand-children, 3 great-grandsons, playing bingo, singing, listening to music, and watching Walker, Texas Ranger. She leaves a legacy of helping her family, having raised them all to be productive members of our society and proud for each of them. The Mateo Family would like to thank you for celebrating Emiliana?s life with us. Visitation: November 30, 2-4 p.m. Funeral: December 1, 10 a.m. St. Francis Xavier Church