Virgilio Binarao Layugan

Virgilio "Gil" Binarao Layugan, aged 70, was born on November 17, 1946 in Tuguegarao, Philippines. He truly exemplified the fulfillment of the American Dream. Gil spent his childhood between Tuguegarao and Solana, the second youngest child of Alonzo and Sixta Layugan. He graduated from the University of the East in Manila, Philippines with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting. In 1975, he immigrated to the US with only a few dollars in his pocket. Initially, he lived New York, working as an accountant for a public utility. In 1979, he married Melendrina "Mely" Molina, and together they settled in Passaic, New Jersey to start a family. Together, they welcomed into the world: Gil Peter Molina in 1980, Marlon Anthony in 1982, and Karina Ann in 1986. After years of dealing with the harsh East Coast winters, Gil and Mely sought the warmth of a change in climate. They eventually settled down in Pomona, California.

Gil loved America, and he wanted his family to experience as much of his adopted country as he could. Each summer as the kids grew up, he planned a road trip to a different part of the continent. With Gil at the wheel, the family took road trips to places like Yosemite, Las Vegas, Seattle, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Chicago, Tampa, Orlando, New York, Washington D.C., Vancouver, Toronto, and the Niagara Falls. These vacations were time for the family to be together and to create memories that would last a lifetime.

Above all else, Gil was a family man. He loved to spend time with his family. Anyone who stopped by to visit could often find him at the dinner table or resting on his patio. He would make anyone he talked to feel like the most important person in the world. He always had something positive to say, and would always wear a smile. He loved to chat and tell stories, and was always there to listen and to give advice. Gil was also deeply spiritual, and he imparted the importance of prayer and faith to his family. Gil was a generous man, the kind of person to give the shirt off of his back if he thought it would help someone (and, in fact, he did so on more than one occasion). He would always place other people's needs before his own. He loved to watch boxing and wrestling on the television. And he loved to take trips to the casino.

In recent years, Gil's family grew larger. In 2013, Gil Peter married Desiree Thomas and in 2015, Marlon married Crystal Greenwell. And this year, Gil and Mely welcomed their first grandchildren: Gabriel Quentin Layugan to Marlon and Crystal on February 22, and Jacob Gabriel Layugan on August 9 to Gil Peter and Desiree. On August 25, Gil walked Karina down the altar as she married Ian Brown.

Gil passed away November 4, 2017 at his home in Pomona, California. He is survived by his beloved wife Mely, his three children and their spouses, and by his two grandsons. Arrangements are being handled by Forest Lawn.