Maria Natividad

Maria Directo Natividad, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and educator, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at the age of 84. She was born on August 14, 1941, in Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines. She was also known as Marie, Carrie, Ate Carrie, Auntie Carrie, Tita Carrie, and Baby (since she was the youngest in her family).

Marie is survived by her devoted husband of 61 years, Laureano Roman Natividad; two loving sons, Larry and Lee; and six cherished grandchildren: Andrew, Lissi, Emy, Lucas, Lance, and Levi. She was preceded in death by her brothers Onofre and Arturo (Uncle Turo) Sipin Directo; and German and Amparo Sipin Montesa, whose encouragement helped shape her lifelong passion for education and caregiving.

A proud graduate of the University of Santo Tomas in 1961, Carrie earned her nursing degree in April 1965. Although she once dreamed of becoming a doctor, her calling as a nurse and educator allowed her to help others in meaningful and enduring ways. For 40 years, Marie served as a dedicated nursing instructor and Division Chair for the Nursing Department at Compton Community College, where she inspired generations of students to enter the healthcare field with skill, compassion, and integrity.

Beyond the classroom, Ate Carrie was an active and engaged community member. In the 1970s, she participated in the City of Carson’s American Filipino Organization and throughout her career contributed to the Philippine Nurses Association of America. Even after her retirement in the early 2000s, Marie continued to serve others through various nursing registries, including AMP Staffing Network.

Marie approached each chapter of life with energy, grace, devotion, and generosity. She supported her eldest son’s career in secondary education and her youngest son’s entrepreneurial ventures. She was known for her frugality, vibrant style (lots of floral prints and scarves or shawls), and deeply personal relationships where she never forgot to write heartfelt cards and letters for birthdays and Christmas. Her family remembers her as a consummate educator who was always eager to share knowledge to help others succeed, but even more so, as a woman whose love for her family was the true center of her life. She loved all her nieces and nephews and loved to travel with her three cousins Aunties Fe, Norma, and Mining.

At the absolute center was her husband Laureano, otherwise known as Larry. They loved to travel together to the Philippines, Europe, and especially Hawai'i. They would often have late night conversations, just laughing together, while listening to Hawaiian music. She loved to listen to music all the time and her favorite was Elvis and more recently, Lucy Thomas. A devoted Catholic, she would go to St. Pius V Catholic Church in Buena Park every Sunday to pray, recite the rosary, and contribute what she could.

Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she taught, touched, and uplifted through her unwavering kindness and dedication.