During the Vigil Service, Opening Prayer and Rosary was led by Deacon Nestor Fernandez of  St. Augustine Catholic Church in South San Francisco, California.

After the Rosary, Special Dedication (in Tagalog song) was performed  by granddaughter Sarah Jones. Eulogy was shared by daughter Esther Przybus and granddaughter   Samantha Rescino.

Well Done presentation (with specially selected pictorials)  was done by grandson Anthony Medios and granddaughter Stephanie “Bing” Przybus.

Special Tribute was shared by Celestino Medios who emotionally narrated how Lourdes Gadong Medios and husband Pol Medios helped him finished college and then encouraged him to immigrate to the United States together with his family.

I was also fortunate to share my Special Tribute to Madam Lourdes Gadong Medios. I would like to share to our readers and the general public my Special Tribute as follows:

I am Art Gabot Madlaing, book author, columnist, accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker from San Francisco, California. I was requested to speak in 5-7 minutes to share my tributes to Madam Lourdes Gadong Medios.

MADAM LOURDES was a devoted wife, loving mother, caring grandmother and great educator and teacher. It was both my privilege and opportunity to have her as my favorite teacher in the elementary grades way back in our hometown  of Binalonan, province of Pangasinan in the Philippines.

My beloved wife Virginia Jimenez Madlaing and I were blessed to have her as our partner together with her husband Pol Medios, with the International Land Investment  Company, Inc. for several years.

My wife and I were fortunate to be with her and her husband Pol Medios during our Princess Cruise from San Francisco to Alaska and Canada in August, 2005, together with two other couples namely: Demie & Trinidad Tuliao from Daly City, California and Justo and Cely Querido from Honolulu, Hawaii.

We also enjoyed her company during the annual July 4th  Picnic of the Binalonian Association of Northern California (BANC). July 4th is the birthday of Madam Lourdes so we also celebrated her birthday during the annual BANC. I’m glad that Romualdo  “Waldo”Cerezo, BANC President, is here with us this evening.

The last time we saw Madam Lourdes very much alive was when my beloved wife and I attended her 93rd Birthday celebration last Sunday, 2-4 pm, July 3, 2022  at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco, California. I serenaded her with my signature song “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADAM.”

So, to cherish her memory, I would like to share and read the poem entitled “THE DASH” written by Linda Ellis, as follows:

I read of a man who stood to speak                                                                  At the funeral of a friend                                                                He referred to the dates on the tombstone                              From the beginning  . . . to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth                                And spoke the following date with tears                                      But he said what mattered most of all                                           Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time                                             That they spent alive on earth                                                      And now only those who loved them                                                  Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much you own,                                                 The cars,  .. the house . . .the cash                                                        What matters is how we live and love                                                   And how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.                                                          Are there things you’d like to change?                                    For you never know how much time is left                                      That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough                                                      To consider what’s true and real                                                        And always try to understand                                                    The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger                                                                   And show appreciation more                                                             And love the people in our lives                                                          Liked we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect                                                And more often wear a smile.                                                  Remembering this special dash                                               Might only last as little while

So, when your eulogy is being read                                                  With your life’s actions to rehash. . .                                      Would you be proud of the things they say                                    About how you spent YOUR DASH?

   Thank you for the memories MADAM LOURDES.  We’ll miss you!

Funeral Mass was held last December 15, 2023, at 11:00am at the St. Augustine Catholic Church, 3700 Callan Blvd., South San Francisco, California.

After the Funeral Mass, Interment was at Skylawn Memorial Park, Court of Eternal Life Mausoleum, CA-35, Highway 92, San Mateo, California. After the burial, Lunch Celebration was held at the Basque Cultural Center, 599 Railroad Avenue, South San Francisco, California.