Gracia Gulinao's Obituary
GRACIA “Gigi” GULINAO January 10, 1960 – October 29, 2014Gracia “Gigi” Gulinao, 54, returned to her heavenly home on October 29, 2014 after a valiant battle with cancer. Her firm faith in God supported her in her six-year struggle that ultimately gave her eternal rest.Gigi was born to Natalio and Yolanda Gulinao, a pharmaceutical representative and a teacher respectively, in San Miguel, Bulacan, Philippines, a small town 50 miles north of the capital city of Manila, on January 10, 1960. Her family was fully devoted to the music ministry at the local parish that provided her the foundation for her calling. In addition to her academic achievements in high school, her love for music enabled her to obtain a prestigious scholarship to pursue her dreams. She graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1980 with a degree in Music Education cum laude (with honors) and immediately embarked on a career of teaching the joy of music to elementary school students at different catholic schools in the Philippines, the Bahamas, and the San Francisco Bay Area from 1980 to the time of her untimely passing. Her most recent teaching stint is at Notre Dame Des Victoires in San Francisco, CA and St. Matthew Catholic School in San Mateo, CA. She obtained a post-graduate degree in Music in Piano Pedagogy from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA in 1992 and also engaged in providing private piano lessons in San Francisco and San Mateo counties.Gigi’s passion for music made her active in the music ministry of four different parishes in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, and Alameda. She also participated in various local and international choral festivals and competitions.Gigi is survived by her parents, her brothers Mario, Abelardo, Joseph Alain, Eric, and Michael Gulinao, sister Elizabeth Johnson, sisters in-law Liz Recuenco-Gulinao, Maita Velez-Gulinao, Lorelei Sison-Gulinao, and Catherine Pedrasa-Gulinao, uncles Leonti Thompson, Sr. and Joseph Libunao, aunties Aurora Valeriano-Libunao and Letty Acuna-Libunao, cousins Leonti Thompson, Jr., Josie Libunao, Josephina Libunao-Schneider,Joey Libunao, and Emmanuel Salazar, nephews Jose Luis, Jose Mari, Carlos, Juan, Lorenzo, Kyle, and Antonio Gulinao, Alexis and Allan Libunao, and nieces Meghan and Sarah Johnson, Keyla and Katrine Gulinao.Prayer and viewing services will be held at Skylawn Memorial Park, Highway 92 at Skyline Blvd., San Mateo, CA on November 11, 2014 at 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A funeral mass will be held at St. Gregory Catholic Church, 2715 Hacienda St., San Mateo, CA on November 14, 2014 at 11:00 am with the Most Rev. Robert W. McElroy, Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco, presiding. Reception will immediately follow after the mass.
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