Efren Songalia Allenegui

Efren Songalia Allenegui was born on February 1, 1950, in Tanauan, Leyte, Philippines to Jose Allenegui Jr. and Angela Songalia. He was the third oldest child out of eight children.

During his younger years in Tanauan, Efren loved to play with his siblings and cousins. Hewas a joyful kid that enjoyed flying kites, riding bicycles, swimming at the beach, fishing, climbing santol and guava trees, planting vegetables and was always happy to help feed his family's chickens, ducks, and pigs. He attended Tanauan Elementary School and graduated high school from Assumption Academy.  Little did he know, one of his elementary school classmates would later become his wife.

After being separated for some time, Efren moved to South Central Los Angeles in 1971 and was reunited with his parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings. There were seven of them that lived in the basement of Efren's aunt's house. They moved a couple more times around Los Angeles before finally residing in Cerritos, California, where the Allenegui family lived for several years.

Upon first arriving to Los Angeles, Efren's first job was as a busboy at a local restaurant. He was only there a short time before finding a job as a mechanic at one of the largest zipper manufacturers in the world, YKK. He worked his way up to be the Operations Supervisor and retired after working there for over 30 years.

In regards to Efren's romantic life, his sister Leda recalls he had many admirers. There were two ladies in particular that were hoping for a relationship with him, but Efren was extremely picky. It wasn't until his other sister, Josephine, heard that his old classmate, Lydia, was single, and decided to connect them together. Efren was unsure at first, especially because Lydia currently lived in Winnipeg, Canada. In this case, however, it was love at first letter. Efren and Lydia would write love letters back and forth to each other before finally meeting. And by the second date, Efren surprised Lydia by bringing her to Montgomery Ward at the Lakewood Mall near his home. He brought her to the jewelry store and asked, "Which one do you want?" No official proposal, he just got straight to the point. When they came home, they told everyone they were engaged. Efren and Lydia Allenegui were married on July 9, 1983 in Winnipeg, Canada.

After the wedding, Efren and Lydia moved to the Allenegui family home in Cerritos, California. On January 3, 1985, they had their first child, Jonathan Olino Allenegui. They later bought a home nearby in Artesia, California and their second child, Jeanell Olino Allenegui, was born on February 25, 1987.

In the early nineties, the city of Riverside was rapidly developing and Efren and Lydia decided to buy a new home there in 1991. It was in this home that their children grew up and would stay in for over 25 years. This was a home that hosted several parties for friends and family, particularly for others that came from the same town in Tanauan that Efren and Lydia both grew up in. This house also became a home for Tanauananons that needed a place to stay. Efren and Lydia would always open their home to friends and family from the Philippines, just as their friends and family did for them.

All seriousness aside, Efren was a carefree, fun, and playful man that genuinely enjoyed life. He would wake up each morning with a smile and would frequently say "Don't worry, be happy". His positive outlook on life was one to be envious of and it's a trait he passed down to his children.

He also loved being the life of the party and making people laugh. A "jokester" as he would say, he didn't care what people thought of him and lived his life that way. In fact, everyone that knows Efren could probably tell you a funny story they remember about him. He definitely wasn't boring and was always so great to be around.

Efren was also talented and had several hobbies. He loved trying new things and exploring the world around him. He was our resident photographer for every gathering and had a musical ability to play piano and guitar by ear, without any formal lessons. He was the DJ at the Tanauan fiestas, and even decided to dive into beer-making. He could also build anything that you asked him to make, without formal instructions. He just did it. When it came to hobbies, these were endless throughout his life. To name a few, he loved to sing his heart out during karaoke, tend to his rose garden, go fishing with his friends, learn about animals on Animal Planet, ride rollercoasters with his kids, cook new recipes he'd see on the Food Network, and more.

In 2015, Efren's wife, Lydia, was diagnosed with dementia and they moved to La Palma, California with their children. Soon after in 2018, Efren was diagnosed with dementia as well. From that point on, his decline was very rapid and he slowly lost his ability to do the things he loved. It was devastating for his family to watch, but no matter what, dementia never took away his cheerful spirit and charming smile. A week before his last day on earth, he got to spend a beautiful day with his wife, children and grandchildren. His face especially lit up when he sat next to his six-month-old grandson and played with his little feet. It's a happy memory that his family got to have one last time.

Efren passed away peacefully on May 14, 2023 with his family at his side. Although he will be missed, his positive attitude and love of life will continue to live on. He is survived by his wife, Lydia Allenegui, his children, Jonathan & Joycelyn Allenegui and Jeanell & Christopher Parayno, as well as his grandchildren, Rowan & Rylo Parayno; His siblings, Josephine Gotingco, Edgar Allenegui, Angelyn Balguma, Leda Allenegui, and Erwin Allenegui; And his nieces and nephews, Jennifer Ravenscroft, Fredric Balguma, Christine Fichter, Joann Toporowski, Janet Fadden, Evan Allenegui, Emeline Allenegui, and Elmer Allenegui.