Domingo Castro, Sr.: November 23, 1925 – July 17, 2018 (Facebook photo: Fernando Castro)
Vancouver, B.C.
4th update: July 27, 2018, 12:12 PM
3rd update: July 27, 2018, 9:20 AM
2nd update:July 26, 2018, 8:11 PM
Updated: July 26, 2018, 6:40 PM
He was a simple miner that worked hard to raise a family of 11 and was remembered as a humble and loving ‘ama’, grandfather and ‘lakay’ to many.
He spent most of his working years in the mines in the Cordillera – Lepanto, Suyoc, Boneng BX and more.
Borned and raised in Besao in the Mountain Province, Philippines, he moved his family to Bantey, Tadian during World War 2.
He immigrated to Canada in 1982 with four of his children to join his daughter Julie in Edmonton but eventually settled in Vancouver where most of his family lives.
Domingo Castro, Sr., died peacefully on July 17, 2018. He was 92. He was pre-deceased by his wife Caroline Mayaen Castro on February 15, 2018, three days after celebrating her 91st birthday.
Excerpts from the eulogy by Ceasar Castro at Celebration of Life, St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church,July 25:
Recovery
“There was a story about father, when he was around 10 years old. He got very sick, the old folks or elders of the village were sure he was dead, they carved him a coffin of a pine tree. During the wake one of the elders suddenly fainted spilt some of water on the boy’s face all of a sudden the boy started to move his lips and mouth like waking up, he has come alive. They claimed all the energy of the old man was transferred to the sick boy enough to energized him up.and come alive And because of that the village elders believed he will live a long life, and sure he did.”
Education important
“Our parents believed on education that they supported us to take the courses of our choices. We did it with a simple family rule. It was agreed that the eldest be given the opportunity to go to school no matter what and when he finished promised to support the next to him or her till she or he finishes school and goes down to the last.”
‘Ama’ Doming with wife Caroline. (Facebook photo: Arielle Castro)
He leaves nine children, 24 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life was held on Wednesday, July 25 at St. Mary the Virgin Sapperton Anglican Church in New Westminster with a mass & viewing.
Viewing on Friday, July 27 from 6 – 9 PM at Valleyview Funeral Homes in Surrey. Internment will follow on Saturday, July 28 at 2 – 3 PM.
I learned to know Mr. Domingo Castro through his son, Ceasar. Ceasar was my classmate at the BGHSN School of Nursing. He was a quiet, nice and reserved man in school. Fast forward, he and his dearly beloved wife Elisa became my classmate in Crime, doing the Spiritual and the Corporal Acts of Mercy. We did a lot of Medical Missions in the P.I. Together and we concentrated our efforts in the Cordilleras, Mountain Province to give back what we owe to these people who, gave us our future and what we are now today. (BGHSN was created for the Igorots but mostly, we in the low-landers benefited from it. And the rest was history.) .Apparently, Caesar was not quiet and reserved at all. He was not nice anymore because he was super-super nicer and a great guy. To sum it up. Caesar is a Renaissance Man and Altruistic! Caesar I’m sure learned all these traits, characteristics and great outlook in life from his very own and dearly beloved father… DOMINGO CASTRO, SR. “Thank you Sir Domingo for sharing your son to us. He was a Gem, and a perfect guy of all guys to all of us, wife Elisa included!) From my family to yours, our deepest sympathy and condolence! “Eternal Rest Grant unto the Soul of Domingo Castro O Lord, and let Perpetual Light shine unto him. May his Soul Rest In Peace. AMen. Sincerely with love, care and prayers always, Manang Moning, Manong Bong & Family