Angel Thoughts
This month has been a roller coaster ride for me and my family with the unexpected passing of our dear brother Gabriel I. Munson in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Gabby, or “Gambe,” as we called him, was our beloved charming brother, the fourth child after three girls (which made him a pretty spoiled son by my parents) followed by another sister and finally a brother.
My dad, Amado, doted on Gambe who inherited his good-looking and athletic genes and charm. He was my mommy Nena’s favorite son (until her bunso Pedro or Benjie came along). We daughters understood and loved their boys back.
Dad taught him to play golf and he excelled in the game which made his Old Man happy and proud. He also learned basketball and played it well. He loved ballroom dancing which was a boon to us, his sisters, as he became our dancing chaperone at our school parties. Our classmates swarmed around him as he was always charming and loved to dance.
He was our “sweet prince” as he was fun and always happy to be around. He also tenderly marched me down the aisle for my wedding to my Sonny , as our dad had already passed away . He “tormented” my fiancé but it was, he told me later, to see how much Sonny loved me.
In his late teen years he fell in the company of an heir of a political clan from Batangas who loved guns. Fortunately, this was before drugs and other addictions for teens. His spiritual re-awakening was thanks to the then very popular Catholic retreat called “Cursillo.”
Three days in the close retreat made him such a joyful Catholic lay evangelist, and a devotee of Mama Mary too until his dying day. He brought this religious fervor with him when he and his wife Concecpcion Ramos from Romblon migrated to America in 1972.
Here is his obituary.
“Born to Amado Munson and Paz Intengan in Manila and grew up with his sisters Cielo, Lita, Deedee, Nenita, and late brother Pedro. He was a spirited young man who had a high sense of adventure. He attended Ateneo de Manila school and National University. He was a gifted athlete and played college and club basketball. A talented golfer like his own father, he won numerous tournaments. After college, Gabriel worked as a sportswriter for Fore! Magazine. He courted his future wife at the Aristocrat restaurant in Manila. They married and had five children. Then they emigrated from the Philippines to America in the early 1970s. They settled in Queens, New York, landing first in a single room at the YWCA and then moving into a small apartment. Working hard, they eventually were able to bring their brood over and purchase a house. Gabriel’s home became known as a welcome landing place for Filipinos who were exploring new lives in America. He managed logistics for the Royal Beauty Supply company in
Brooklyn for three decades. A kind and generous man, he helped new acquaintances arriving at JFK and offered solace in a big city with a friendly food-laden table during the holidays. He was a lively Mass lecturer at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church.
Gabby to his many friends, he served as the president of the Philippine Golf Association of New York. He demonstrated sportsmanship and his love of the game of golf by writing the weekly newsletter covering the PGANY (Philippine Golf Association of New York) tournaments. His nickname was “The Bull” because of his prodigious length off the tee and magical short game. A sharp dresser, Gabby walked as a model for charity fashion shows held by the nurses at Mary Immaculate Hospital. He loved to sing, especially classics from the Great American Songbook. Gabby encouraged a love of the arts and taking a chance on new experiences. He passed down his gift of words to each of his children. Gabby and Conce were avid dancers and enjoyed nights doing the hustle at Régine’s in Manhattan. As the years passed, Gabby provided donations and support to charitable causes in the Philippines.
Gabby will be greatly missed and remembered for his spirit and unyielding love. His survivors include his wife Concepcion, children Amado (Gina), Gabriel (Eileen), Yzabelle (Alex), Kristabelle (Amy), Angelica (Robert), grandchildren Louis, Amanda, Miles Diego, Gianna Paz, Gabriel, Benjamin, Royal, his sisters Consuelo Rivera, Isabelita Esteban, Lourdes Siytangco, and Maria Paz Weigand.
A Funeral Mass was held yesterday at St. Denis Roman Catholic Church, Hopewell Junction, NY.”
May flocks of angels bring you to your rest, dear sweet prince.