Rufina Ganaden

Rufina was the seventh of eight children born to Sylvina and Angelo. She was a loving wife to Domingo, mother to Vic, Robert, and Vanj, grandmother to VJ, Robyn, Josh, Angel, Matt, and Raphy, and great-grandmother to Aia, Via, and Damie. She was also a beloved mother/grandmother to daughters/grandaughters-in-law Pia, Ching, Carol, and Stacey, and to her son-in-law Mike and his family, Fulbie, Eunice, Angela, Chase, Kellen, Colt, Elsa, Benja, and Ezra. She was best friend to Mike's mom, Aildas, and the name and birthday twin of his dad, Rufino.

She loved to cook the Ilocano favorites dinengdeng, pinapaitan, liningta, dinuguan, pancit, sinigang, and tinola, and she fermented binubudan, the mildly alcoholic dessert, for her family. These and her macaroni salad were their cherished dishes. When eating out, her favored meal was spicy tuna roll, hot green tea, and ice cream on a sugar cone. She enjoyed watching love stories, musicals, variety shows, and live music, especially jazz. She shared the love of music with her husband and later her children, who learned to play guitar and piano and whom she sometimes bribed to play for guests.

She was quiet and shy, gentle, zen calm, slow to anger, determined, with a smile and a laughter that made everything better. She is loved so dearly and missed so deeply. May she rest in eternal peace and love in God's and Mary's embrace.