LEONARDO CORPUZ BARENG
ALOHA FOREVER April 1955 - June 2021
Leonardo Corpuz Bareng April 26, 1955 - June 27, 2021 Birthplace and Date: Jones Isabela, Philippines on April 26, 1955 Date and Place of Death: Sunday morning of June 27, 2021 Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Anaheim, California Cause: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome His parents were the late Alejandro “Papa,” Bareng and Crisanta “Mama” Corpuz-Bareng. He is loved and missed by his wife of 46 years, Josephine or “Bee” Children: Kris, AnnaLiza, Ryan, and Nico; daughters-in-law Taylor and Janette; sons-in-law Eriq and Alan. 13 grandchildren: Jenelle, Gabriel, Erianna, Jagger, Gunner, Ryder, Jacelle, Kailea, Noah, Kyler, Lily, Tiger and Emma. Sisters: Jessica, Venus, Anita, Josephine (“Jo”) and Vangie; Brother: Paul Pet: Precious, a chihuahua.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
EARLY YEARS When Papa Alex decided to migrate to Hawaii in 1967, Leo was entrusted with the task of helping Mama Crisanta in taking charge of the family’s livelihood. He learned how to raise pigs and poultry, do egg farming, plant vegetables and
perform other tasks that a man of the legendary Illocano industry had to learn at an early age. Leo turned out to be a highly responsible young man, proving that his Mama could depend on him while Papa was far away.
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
Two years later, Mama and the children moved to Hawaii where Filipino migrant workers had become a highly vibrant community, embracing traditional Hawaiian values and traditions. “ Malama Pono (taking good care of yourself, Malama aina” (taking good care of the land), Malama Keiki (taking good care of the kids). These are part of the “Aloha Spirit,” which means living with respect and care for oneself and for others. Leo attended President Theodore Roosevelt High
School, in Honolulu. After graduation, he moved to Kailua where he worked in a gas station off the Pali highway and at the Dole plantation on the North Shore.
LOVE& MARRIAGE Love beckoned to Leo when he was 19. His sister Jo introduced him to a Filipina by the name of Josephine “Bee” Badiola. Love at first sight made Leo decide that Bee was going to be his bride. True enough, in 1975, they became man and wife. They moved to the U.S. Mainland to pursue the so-called, “American dream”; an opportunity for anyone in America, regardless of race and class, to attain success through hard work and sacrifice. The young couple bought a house next to the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, for $15,000. In 1977, Leo landed a job at Southern California Edison (SCE), then moved three years later to the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).
“For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her.” Ephesians 5:25
FAMILY LIFE
“He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.” 1 Timothy 3:4
Leo and Bee raised four children, namely: Kris, AnnaLiza, Ryan and Nico. In 1986, the family settled in San Clemente where Leo had bought a new fourbedroom house for $136,000. In addition to Leo doing all his own landscaping design and development, he built an extension from the ground up, which he and Bee designed as a welcoming music room featuring a grand piano and family memorabilia. An adventurer at heart, Leo often packed up the VW
Vanagon and took his family on road trips across the United States and Canada. He knew that exploring different places would afford the children great time for family bonding and for developing their own interests. The children’s education was also one of Leo’s top priorities. By sheer diligence and wise financial management, he was able to send them to private schools and provide for their material needs as they grew up to become responsible adults.
BLESSING OF RETIREMENT Leo’s stint at Southern California Edison (SCE) lasted for 39 years. At age 57, he was offered an early retirement on account of the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The retirement offer proved to be a blessing in disguise; it allowed Leo to take Bee- whom he fondly called his “bride”-- on Iinternational trips, cruises, missions trips to the Philippines, and tours of the most impressive naval bases in the world.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
ACTS OF SERVICE Leo’s love language is “Acts of Service.” He lived to serve his family and others. Over the past 14 years, he traveled thousands of miles to babysit and do house improvement projects for all of his kids. During one of Ryan’s deployments, Leo would make unscheduled visits to mow the lawn for Janette. He loved doing chores, home improvements
and maintenance for all his children. During his vacations in the Philippines, Leo the “balikbayan” would not mind rolling up his sleeves to be Mr. Fix-It. Cars calling for maintenance work, houses in need of minor repairs, removal and replacement of misc. parts. You need it done, Leo did it. He would do anything to be of service.
“Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the manycolored tapestry of God’s grace.” 1 Peter 4:10
GRANDPARENT LIFE Jenelle
Gabriel
Erianna
Jagger
Gunner
Ryder
Kailea
Kyler
Leo relished his early retirement also for the chance of having more time to spend with his 13 grandchildren who “reinvented “ the world for him and Bee. “If I knew grandchildren were this much fun I would have had them first,” he frequently said with wit and humor. In fact, the day before he was hospitalized, he was still brimming with enthusiasm building one-of-a-kind art easels for a grandkid’s ”Friday Masters Class with Grandma Bee” . He was also loved asissting and teaching the older kids automotive repair and maintenance.
Jacelle
Noah
Lilly
Tiger
“Train up a child in the way they should go; even when they are old, they will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Emma
SALVATION and church life
Leo talked about his first death in March 1986 when he gave his life to Jesus Christ at First Baptist thanks to a Sunday school teacher, Grandma Helen DeGross. He led his family to Victory Baptist Church under Pastor Alan Morse and eventually found Mission Hills Church, FilAm Church of south Orange County, Church on the Solid Rock, Church of Hope, and found a final local fellowship, The Shoreline. Throughout the 90’s he was an
ambassador of the Promise Keepers and attended conferences across the United States with his sons and nephew, Don. Since 2013 He assisted and supported longtime friend and pastor, Dr. Alfredo Cortez Jr. with the Hope Bible Institute, Philippines. He was dedicated to his Church, the Shoreline and faithfully attended the
men of Shoreline, which met on Tuesday mornings at 6 AM. In 2019 Ryan introduced him to his favorite men’s ministry of all: Marked Men for Christ (MMFC), which he attended with Kris. Through the pandemic worldwide lockdown, he continued to meet with his MMFC brothers every Saturday morning on zoom for discipleship and accountability.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7 For over 30 years, Leo dutifully accompanied Bee in her speaking engagements for the Stonecroft Ministries, an outreach program of volunteers sharing the Good News with women across the U.S.. Their last trip together was May 18 this year when Bee spoke before the Christian Women’s Connections in Lake Havasu, Arizona.
ALOHA FOR A LIFETIME I will never forget the day I married my wife. I was twenty. In the Filipino culture, getting married at twenty is very young. My mother’s word to me twenty five years ago was as clear as the day she spoke them; she said, “You’re too young to think about getting married, young people’s relationship at your age doesnt last but for a while. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Those words were a definite challenge even after almost twenty five years of marriage to the same woman. I wasn’t in a hurry for a serious relationship until Bee came into my life, she was it. I was absolutely sure I had found the perfect one, the woman of my dreams. It was absolute love at first sight. I suddenly experienced being hit by Cupid’s arrow, something I never believed in the past. I found myself falling in love deeper and deeper. The same day I met Bee, she announced to my whole family that, “ in a couple of days, she will be leaving for the mainland.” (California). I was crushed, even though she didn’t know that. I had a crush on her. I said to
myself, when am I going to see her again, this isn’t fair. I just met her. I wasn’t sure I’ll ever see her again. I was convinced that I will never see each other again. Though I have just met Bee a few days ago, it is as if I had known her for a long time. The separation was a battle. I fell in love and the woman I liked, left the state with no guarantee of seeing her again. The number of letters I was mailing a week was not enough to fill the void that she left. No amount of consolation or isolation can fill my longing for her and everytime she writes back which is not that often, she was customary in saying, “That’s all for right now, it’s late and I need to go to bed“. Instead of
being turned off by her lack of response, she wasn’t off the hook. The more I pursue her over the phone and by mail. The more she showed lack of interest , the more it drove me to pen more letters that added to the countless junk mail she must’ve already be receiving. My intent was to flood her with my presence through letters. My mother’s “You’re too young to think about getting married...” comment, was a constant reminder to the marriage commitment I made at my wedding. After 25 years of marriage to the same woman, I can’t say that I am an expert, but I could certainly say that if a couple is serious with their commitment,
marriage can last for a lifetime as it was designed by the living God. After 25 years, I am as much in love with my bride as the day I met her. Even after all these years, I still open the car door for her and hold her hand as much as I can. Leo Written during our wedding anniversary. Sept. 26, 2000
25th
Leo’s greatest passion of all was to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and in deed. It is noteworthy that before his death, he asked his eldest granddaughter Jenelle to live by the message in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This is perhaps his most important spiritual legacy to his children and grandchildren.
LEO’S LEGACY OF LOVE By Bee
It is my hope that one day, our grandchildren and great grandchildren will find this piece among the family memorabilia and ponder on their Grandpa Leo’s legacy of faith and love. I would like them to remember how they had made Leo a happy grandfather, in fact if I may say, one of the happiest grandfathers who ever lived in this wonderful world. ‘Plumeria’ Romance Leo and I met during a family dinner in April 1975 at the Bareng home in Kailua, Hawaii. Leo would tell me later on that he felt so shy and breathless when he was introduced to me by his sister Jo (Josephine). It was love at first sight for him. And it didn’t take long for me to realize that I was in love with him, too. Like the brilliant Hawaiian plumeria, our love blossomed quickly. Five months later, on September 26, 1975, we were married at a civil ceremony in Honolulu. Our whirlwind romance turned out to be a long and lasting love affair. In love and marriage, little things mean a lot, as the song goes. As empty nesters, it was pure bliss for my husband and I to do our morning walks at Dana Point Harbor with our pet dog
Precious, and to tease each other about “eating out” for a date -- which actually meant having breakfast, lunch or dinner by the waterscape in our backyard. We enjoyed trying aerobic dance steps for fun and exercise in our family music room. Leo was so caring and considerate that when he knew that I was still fast asleep, he would make sure that our place was a den of silence. Both of us loved gardening as a hobby. For me, doing the garden was a breeze because beforehand, Leo would set up everything that we needed. Every so often, Leo would pick a red rose from our garden, put it in a vase and place the arrangement on the kitchen counter. Incidentally, before he was hospitalized, we took a leisurely walk together through our garden. I told him that the plants, trees and flowers there grew out of his labor of love. Every morning, we prayed for our children and grandchildren and pondered on the meanings and
applications of Bible verses. Leo did his utmost sharing the Good News with people in all walks of life, regardless of race and religious denomination. He also tried his best to walk the talk and practise what he preached. Last year, he diligently put important documents in order because he said he wanted things to be easier for me “when the time comes.” My anxious reaction was to say, “I might go first before you.” He planned to work on the replacement of the roof of our house, but due to his need for medical treatment, he decided to hire a roofing contractor for the job. Knowing that the
house would have a brand new roof gave him some sense of relief because for him, a strong roof meant security for his family. In the hospital, we had both heartwarming and melancholic moments reminiscing about the life that we had shared together for 46 years. It was spirit-lifting to talk about our children, grandchildren, their birthdays, and the great joy and meaning that they had given us. And even in those times when he was experiencing shortness of breath, he still managed to muster enough strength to say caring and encouraging words to each of our children and older grandchildren.
Forgiving grace Patience was one of Leo’s virtues. Knowing that I had wronged him many times due to my impatient nature, I asked for his forgiveness and thanked him for being so cool and understanding in dealing with my follies and frailties. He simply said, “It’s reciprocal.” Last supper Was it a coincidence or was it providential that on the eve of Leo’s passing, two attendants came with two dinner plates? The nurse suggested that I should have dinner with Leo. Little did I know that it would be our last supper together. The first one, as I have related here before, was 46 years ago when we first met. And in what turned out to be our last prayer time together, we prayed the 23rd Psalm.
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Timothy 4:6-7
‘Breathless’ After dinner, Leo experienced chest tightness. Medicines were administered promptly -and afterwards, he seemingly felt at peace . Before leaving the hospital, I felt something that prompted me to ask him what he could still vividly remember about our first meeting. To my surprise, he uttered the same words that he told me in his shy and charming way 46 years ago: “ The first time that I saw you, you held me breathless! It was love at first sight.”
In those moments, I could see a soft glow in Leo’s face. It was, to my mind, a glow of peace that passed all understanding. I told him that he looked as boyish as before. After exchanging “I love you’s” I said, “Honey, I’ll see you in the morning.” The morning of June 27, I was watering the garden and preparing to see Leo, when I got a call from his doctor. He conveyed the heartbreaking news: Leo’s last words were
“I am ready.” In God’s gracious and comforting way, these scripture verses came all at once to my mind: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:6-7). “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9: 2728) Leo’s life verse. We love each other because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:1) Farewell, Leo, my great one love. We shall meet again... in the resurrection morning. Aloha forever! Bee