Celebration of Life

ARLENE ADELIZE OUANO CELEBRATION OF LIFE, AUGUST 5, 2023 AT ASCENSION HALL AT ST JOSEPH ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH.

On July 19, 2023, our mother (my children’s grandmother), was reunited with her parents and her little sister. She was surrounded by friends, her children, and her beloved grandchildren.

To say my mother was a spitfire is an understatement. The stories of her childhood, her teenage years, and the time before she became our mother were legendary. There never was a fight my mother ever backed down from.

She was a beauty pageant winner, a medical school professor, a medical doctor, a realtor, a friend, a mother, and a grandmother.

No matter how tight things could get, she always made sure all our birthdays were celebrated and our Christmases were fun. She was resourceful. One year, after a typhoon came through Cebu and the grocery stores were closed, she found a black market of people selling canned food from a shipwreck (we just had to clean off the rust on the lid ).

She was brave. This was a woman, who at 38, moved halfway across the world to the land of milk and honey so we all could have better lives. I 100% can tell you my life would have been so different had my mother not done that so I could have opportunities I would never have had, a promise I have made to both my children.

She was strong, emotionally and mentally. In her last days, my siblings and I decided to let her go as she lived her life, fighting.

She had a wicked sense of humor and best of all, she loved and adored Ryan and Riley.

There’s so much of her in me. I have her strength, her resilience, and her ability to make lemonade out of lemons without complaining.

I, along with my siblings and my children, am so grateful to everyone who walked this journey with her, and us, especially the last three weeks. Our mother felt incredibly loved, and so did we. The outpouring of love and care from all of our people has been overwhelming (in a good way). Thank you for making us all feel held.

There is a 9-day Novena for her hosted by her dear friend.

A visitation on August 4 and she will be laid to rest on August 5.

Thank you very much.

With love,

Sam, Ryan & Riley

Funeral Mass

Thank you to Joe-An de Dios for the audio and the first 11 minutes of the video.

Arlene Adelize Ouano was a beloved friend, mother, and grandmother. She offered us guidance and strength, especially during the challenging early days of our budding production company. She was resourceful, feisty, and tough; but, more importantly, she was patient, kind, loving, supportive, and nurturing. While life wasn’t always easy for Arlene, she persisted and persevered. She rolled with the waves of life like a pro, evolving as needed, never letting anything stop her from loving life and the people who were drawn to her endless charm and antics.

She loved and adored her children, grandchildren, and the many, many “adopted” children and friends she had over the years. She built a community of friends and family around her wherever she went — even in the ICU in her final days while fighting her cancer to the bitter end.

She was an ardent and strong supporter of Davis de Dios Media from the very beginning. She was our ever-present cheerleader. She is John’s Hero. His inspiration. She welcomed Alan and Jonathan into her life like they were her own children. We will miss her terribly.

From Ronnie C. Capahi & Angelina T. Capahi

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.”
– Oscar Wilde

Leave a Message on Her Tribute Wall

Arlene “Tita A” Ouano over the years

Obituary

Arlene Adelize Ouano, 70, of Glendale, AZ died on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at Banner Thunderbird Samaritan Hospital.

Arlene was born on March 25, 1953, in Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines to the late Paulino “ Aikok” Yu Ouano and the late Amparo Lim Ouano. Arlene graduated high school from St Peter’s College, earned her degree from Velez College, and graduated Medical School from the Matthias H Aznar Southwestern College of Medicine. There, she taught medical school courses before becoming Chief Medical Officer for one of Cebu’s towns.

She migrated to America in May of 1991.

She did not practice medicine in the United States; instead, she worked different jobs until she found her true calling in real estate. She was very good at it and she enjoyed it. Real estate was a career she enjoyed, but Arlene loved the community that it allowed her to build around her over the years. She cherished the people who started out as clients and quickly became members of her large, and ever-growing extended family.

Arlene was feisty, funny, loving, resilient, and extremely generous. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Agnes Boston. She is survived by her four children: Samantha “Apple” de Dios-Goodwin, Barbra “Estee” de Dios-Huss (CJ Huss), John (Zachary) de Dios, and Jan Paul (JP) de Dios; her two beloved grandchildren, Ryan Arlene de Dios-Goodwin and Riley Eric de Dios-Goodwin; and countless friends.

a grove of 50 trees in Arlene’s memory in Oregon.

Established in 2023, the Bootleg Fire Recovery effort seeks to rebuild the tremendous loss in biodiversity.

Special Thank You

Special thank you to Gemenie, Jason, Erickson, Emerson, and Edison Dragon for hosting the 9-Day Novena. Gem and the Dragon family also played a big role in Arlene’s life in the past several years, especially during her battle with cancer. Gem is a sister by love to the four siblings and we are eternally grateful to her and her family for opening their lives and their home to mom.

To Zell Rodriguez-Pajo for being the master of ceremonies during the reception. And to Zell and Eralyn Rodriguez, also, for their close friendship with Arlene for over the last decade and change. Atehs Zell & Erra, among Arlene’s many ‘adopteds’ were instrumental in her care during the COVID-19 pandemic and during her battle with cancer since 2018.

To her friends Mayang, Theresa, Cynthia, Bernadette, Lourdes, and Luthy for being Arlene’s gang over the past few years. You really helped keep her life full of joy and adventure.

To Lilibeth, Banjo, and Gabe Barcenillia, for always being loyal friends to Arlene for almost twenty years. Lilibeth, ‘Baby Snake‘, to Arlene’s ‘Mommy Snake‘ was one of Arlene’s dearest, and closest friends.

Many thanks to the **BAOY**, **CUBILLAN**, and **TALENS** families for the prayers for Arlene.

To Virgie Brown, another one of Arlene’s oldest and dearest friends. They shared a common bond in fashion and style. Thank you to you and Freddy Brown, for your friendship and your love.

Of course, to Maitena Larrazabal. Thank you Tita Maite for always being there for Mama since your childhood. You looked out for and loved Mama like a sister and never left her wanting for more. You are the best friend anyone would be fortunate to have.

To my best friend and brother, Alan Davis who oftentimes was a kindred in sarcastic humor to mother — and allowing me to lean on your strength and friendship during the last days with Mama in the ICU.

There are so many more to thank for the friendship and love you all shared with Mama Arlene over the years. She didn’t always have an easy life, especially with her health battles, but because of you — Ateh Gina & Kuya Paul, Ateh Florence & Kuya Roger, Ateh Jackie & Kuya Philip, and the extended Laveen family, Tita Odette & family, mom’s prayer groups, her fashion and style friends, her party friends, and so many, many more ‘adopteds’ — all of her dearest friends, Mama Arlene’s life was full of joy, jokes, adventures, and happiness.

We are eternally grateful.

~ John (Zachary) de Dios