Luz Samaniego Marbas

Luz Samaniego Marbas died April 17, 2023, at the age of eighty-two in Tacoma, Washington. She died after a two-month hospitalization due to complications from kidney failure.

Luz was born on November 16, 1940, in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija Philippines to Gonzalo and Maria (Talusan) Samaniego. She was the eighth child of fifteen siblings. Her fourteen brothers and sisters were Reynaldo, Gonzalo Jr., Jose, Erlinda, Manuel, Isidro, Antonio, Emelita, Julita, Domingo, Estrelita, Oscar, Cristina, and Imelda. On July 19, 1964, she married her husband Angeles B. Marbas at San Jose De Trozo Church in Manila, Philippines. She immigrated to United States in 1967. She became a United States Citizen in 1977. She had two sons (Charles and Patrick), two daughters-in-law (Rebecca and Laurie) and five grandchildren (Emily, Mack, Jonathan, Malacai, and Gabriel).

She had a powerful desire to learn. She graduated with a diploma from Rizal Central College. She attended Far Eastern University. She attended Adult Evening School at Waukegan Township High School. She completed courses at Olympic College. She did self-studies reading books throughout her life to continue learning.

She created a loving home whether living in Illinois, Hawaii, Washington State, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Colorado. She instilled a strong work ethic with a positive outlook on life with her sons. Therefore, enabling them to earn bachelor graduate degrees, achieve successful careers, and raise their own families. As a loyal supporter of her husband within the Filipino-American Community Organization and his other endeavors, her husband achieved remarkable success in his life pursuits. She remained a loving and loyal wife to her husband even after his death by dependably visiting his gravesite every year.

She helped the family by working jobs in supply, food service, and office administration. She worked for the Solo Cup Company as an inventory control specialist, for General Telephone of Wisconsin as an office clerk, and for VITRO Corporation as a supply clerk. Eventually, she successfully owned and operated two restaurants “Angel’s Cafe” and “Manila Center Diner” to become a well-known fixture within her communities. Her customers loved her because she treated them all with kindness. She watched as her customers grew up with their families and knowing each person by name.

In 2001, she had successful kidney transplant surgery due to kidney failure. In 2006, she become a full-time grandparent “Lola” with her husband and moved to Yorktown, Virginia to spend more time with her grandchildren Emily, Jonathan, and Gabriel. She supported and cared for her husband when the doctors diagnosed him with terminal lung cancer. In 2010, she and her husband relocated with Patrick’s family to Parachute, Colorado to continue to care for her husband as well as enjoying her grandchildren as they participated in organized school activities. After her husband died in 2010, she moved to Spanaway, Washington in 2011 to live with Charles and Rebecca. She was able to spend more time with her grandchildren Mack and Malacai. Furthermore, she enjoyed “sister’s bonding” time with Linda, Ester, Baby, and Amy. She helped with “Northwest Lumpia” from 2011-2013 and engaged with the customers kindly during every interaction with them. She fully retired in 2013. In 2013, her doctor diagnosed her with breast cancer, and she became a breast cancer survivor.

Her greatest joys were dancing, traveling, and hometown sports. She was full of life on the dance floor with all types of dances like the Tango, the Cha-Cha, and line dancing. She and her husband traveled to every state in the United States as well as abroad to Europe and Asia as well as going on luxury cruise ship trips. She was a sports fanatic for the Seattle Supersonics, Seattle Mariners, and Seattle Seahawks. She celebrated the Seattle Supersonics winning their first championship in 1979. She rooted for the Seattle Mariners during their magical run to 116 wins season in 2001. She celebrated the Seattle Seahawks with their first championship Superbowl in 2013. Also enjoyed playing bingo, playing slots, binge watching television shows, and watching talent contests and game shows on television. She loved gardening as well as playing ball with her favorite dog “Misread.”

In 2021, her physical body started to deteriorate from illnesses. She continued to fight to get better despite her deteriorating health. In November 2022, her health continued to get worse, becoming frailer physically due to kidney failure. On April 17, 2023, even with increasing medical interventions her physical body finally gave out. She passed away with Charles and Rebecca by her side. Our Heavenly Father called her spirit home.

In her 82 years, Luz had a passion for living life. She lived it as a child of God to the fullest as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She lived a life of encouraging others to stay positive and with kindness to the less fortunate. Luz loved her family and friends who in return dearly loved her.

As part of Luz’s continuing legacy, she leaves behind her sons Charles and Patrick, daughters-in-law Rebecca and Laurie, and grandchildren Emily, Mackenzie, Jonathan, Malacai, and Gabriel.

Please pray for the repose of her soul as she makes her journey to our Father in Heaven.

Visitation, Rosary, and Funeral Services for Luz is May 2, 2023, at the Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel located at 27221 156th Ave SE Kent, WA 97042 followed by the procession to the graveside service at Tahoma National Cemetery at 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent, WA 98042. The reception will be after the graveside service at the Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel. Schedule of events:

Visitation/The Vigil 9:00AM-11:00AM at Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel

Rosary 11:00AM-11:45AM at Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel

Funeral Service/The Liturgy 11:45AM-12:45PM at Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel

Procession to Cemetery 12:45PM-1:10PM from Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel

Graveside Service/The Rite of Committal 1:30PM-2:00PM at Tahoma National Cemetery

Reception 2:30PM-5:00PM Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel

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