Minda Farrales Bello

Minda Farrales Bello, 92, born on August 9, 1930 in San Narciso, Zambales, Philippines, passed away peacefully on February 22, 2023 in West Covina, California.

Minda spent her formative years around her extended family which she described as a happy and carefree childhood until World War II broke out. The arrival of the Americans in 1944 – “Liberation”, is one of the happiest moments in her life. She never got tired of telling the story of the Americans landing right at the San Narciso beach where they pitched tents, brought in jeeps, and handed out candy to kids.

Minda attended high school at the Zambales Academy and completed her teaching degree from the Far Eastern University in Manila. After graduating college in 1951, she returned to her hometown in Zambales where she taught high school English and Literature at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College. Although she had met her husband, Ricarte, ten years prior, it was during her teaching tenure where she was re-introduced to Ricarte by a fellow teacher.  They later married in 1956.

Minda and Rick raised five children in Kamuning. As a stay-home mom, she was engaged in lucrative projects and small businesses. She was a landlord, a dress shop owner, and she managed a beauty salon. She sold jewelry. Her faith was also important to her that she continued her fellowship at the Kamuning First United Methodist Church where she was one of the earliest members during her college years – long before the current building that stands there today was built.

While Minda could have immigrated to the USA as early as the 1950s because her father was a US citizen, the timing was right for the family to emigrate in 1970s. The family finally settled in Los Angeles in 1976, and two years later, they moved to Azusa.

Transitioning to the American way of life had its challenges but was overall rewarding. Church remained central to her life and reunions with lifelong friends and families were joyful and heartwarming events. She became a travel agent and operator after retiring from Sanwa Bank and traveled globally whenever she could.  After years of travel, and with encouragement from her children and the help of the family historian, she compiled her life stories into a book titled From Sea to Shining Sea, A Filipino-American Memoir, published in 2010.

Ever the sociable character, Minda was upbeat throughout her long bout with dementia. She was fierce in remembering her children’s names until the end because she knew her memory was failing. She is survived by her children Celia, Gene, Liza, Abner, Joseph; six grandchildren - Brett, Chelsea, Mark, Joey, Monica and Natalia; two great-grandchildren - Elia, Lily; and two younger siblings - Luz and Jovelo.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Minda will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 2:00pm at the First Filipino-American United Methodist Church, 1415 S. Ninth Ave., Hacienda Heights, California 91745.