Leonisa “Lucy” Arbis

Dedication of a Dream

Little Lucy Leonisa “Lucy” Arbis was born on February 4, 1925 in Amaya, Tanza, Cavite from parents Pedro Arbis and Rizalina Lunot. A photogenic girl, Nanay can surely deliver a lovely smile, even in her senior years.

She had five brothers and two sisters, Nanay being the second child. The children had a simpler, yet happy childhood. Her parents were considered poor. Pedro, the head of the family, worked as a fisherman. Life became terribly difficult when their Mama died.

Nanay got married in July 18, 1948 to Marcial Ravelo. Their love story had been as simple and typical as those we hear about, nothing extraordinary. However, she was a good partner to her husband, and stood by him through his ups and downs.They were financially stable even early on in their marriage because Lolo Mars was very hardworking. He did all kinds of odd jobs like being a typist, a vendor, and a janitor. At this stage, Nanay still continued to help her siblings financially.

…KissSealed with a

As a Sibling

As the eldest daughter, Nanay already had to stand as a parent to her seven siblings when their mother died after the war. As young as fourteen years old, she had to work hard for her siblings and raise all of them toward a better life.

At a very young age, even with both parents still alive, she already learned how to earn a few centavos to help the family. She did errands for relatives and neighbors, and sold fish in the neighborhood. She even worked as a maid for a relative in Manila. Nanay’s siblings have thought highly of her, until now. Her sacrifices were very well appreciated. My mother, Renee, and her siblings now continue what Nanay had started. They continue to help those in need, not just Nanay’s brothers and sisters.

A Patchwork of Love

A Patchwork

As a MotherNanay was very hands-on when it had to do with her kids. My mother describes her to be sweet and lenient to them, and a quiet woman too, just like me. Nanay was said to be sweet and nice because she never got angry, or maybe she was just good at concealing anger or managing it. She loved going shopping with her children at SM during the 60s. She made every effort to make them feel special.

Nanay and Lolo Mars both had full trust on their children. They just provided them some important reminders and pieces of heartfelt advice. But in the end, the children were free to do as they wanted. of Love

A

Patc

hw

ork

of

Love

Nanay loved to tell stories

about the war to her

children and grandchildren,

especially when she saw

them wasting food. She

told how precious rice was,

how sometimes they had

nothing to eat at all, or that

they would only eat camote

for days. Her grandchildren

always enjoyed Nanay’s

presence because there

would surely be good food

around. She was really

loved by all, and is deeply

missed today.

As a Grandma

When Nanay became a

grandma, she was proven to

be loving and caring to

them. She was very

steadfast and was always

there for some words of

wisdom and interesting

stories to share.

A Patchwork of Love

Nanay was an expert when it comes to cooking, making her earn the title as the “Queen of the Kitchen”. She loved to collect different recipes and cook her own dishes which always turned out to be the crowd’s favorite.

Lolo Mars always had guests in their house even at the wee hours of the morning. It was a must that good food was always available. Nanay learned to cook from magazines, books, and especially from Nora Daza, her idol. She made jams, preserved vegetables, jellies, and even pies. For parties, she had always been requested to cook kare-kare.

In connection to her culinary skills, she also loved to collect different China (plates, platters, cups, etc.). She valued them so much that some of them are still on display in her home in Cavite.

As the famous line goes “Diamonds are a girl’s bestfriend”, my grandmother is no different. She loved to collect elegant pieces of jewelry, shoes, and dresses even in her 70’s. Nanay was still as fashionable as her younger years at that age.

All Time

Favorite

Throughout the years, Nanay has started several businesses like children’s clothing, food businesses, and printing. However, for her, the greatest accomplishment was keeping her family together and keeping us okay at all times.

As a young wife, Nanay decided to try putting up a ready-to-wear children’s clothing business. But because she did not have enough experience, it did not prosper. When the children were all grown up, she experimented on bottled jams and jellies, but this too did not prosper.

In the 70s, they put up a publication that published books, magazines, and comic books. In the 80s, Nanay had a laundry shop, a canteen, and a photo shop, all in one building. But due to the hard economy during that time, all of them had to close shop.

Nanay made efforts to “fit-in” with Lolo Mars’ crowd. She was aware that she was a probinsiyana. But she made efforts to improve herself, not only physically, but most especially intellectually. She read anything that would help make her a good conversationalist. She learned to show proper etiquette and wear proper attire for whatever occasion. She adjusted herself for Lolo Mars.

Two of her greatest dreams were for her children to have happy families and for her husband’s creations to go international. Well, who knows? (It already went international when some of his creations, Dyesebel and Darna, were shown in Thailand, dubbed in Thai language five years ago.

Nanay never interfered with her children’s family life. But she made it a point that her children were aware that she was there, ready to listen and to help. She was the best mother-in-law ever.

Dream On

As a businesswoman, she had to encounter problems such as the failures of her business, and the effort of building up a new one for the benefit of her family.

As a mother, she saw to it that the problems of her children were discussed, and gave them pieces of profound advice. She never wanted to see them get hurt or experience their burdens alone.

As she got older, she started to get different illnesses which made it difficult for her to continue her usual activities. At this point, the family bonded together to help her out in return for all the help she has given them.

Nanay had lung cancer in 1987. She was given several months to live and was bedridden for a time before she died in 1988.

Working through the Pieces

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An Angel in Disguise

Grandma had always been known to be a nice person. She was a soft-spoken lady, and never got angry to anyone. An angel in disguise, she never uttered a single bad word all her life.Unavoidable problems with Nanay’s siblings were always there. To avoid long discussions or possible serious fights with them, it was she who would always give in. It was also very easy to ask a loan from her, even if she knew that she would not be repaid anymore. Nanay would always be in the church whenever she had serious problems.

Nanay was born with different talents that only a rare number of us are lucky enough to inherit. Aside from the beauty, she was a radio singer, a dancer, a cook, and a math wizard.

Rizalina’s (Nanay’s mother) family was comprised of singers and musicians, so she definitely got her singing talent from them. Being a good cook was also acquired from Rizalina’s family. Her mathematical prowess was what she got from Papa Pedro.

Born a Star

 

Though we only had a year to bond with each other (I was born 1997, she died 1998), there is still a deep connection between us. We have the same shoe size that I get to use her heels during our prom practices. I realized that we almost have the same physique when I tried on her Filipiniana dress. Like her, I also love Math, unlike my mom and most of my family members. And like her, I am also named Lucy—a name that I will always treasure for the rest of my life.

Nanay was the one who cared for and nurtured me on the first year of my life, even during the time when she was already diagnosed of cancer. She was really loved by many, including me, even if the only memory I have of her are pictures of the love and care she provided for her children and grandchildren. I consider myself blessed that I got to experience Nanay’s affection, even for just a year. I believe that she is now an angel watching over us in heaven.

Lucy Arbis

Ravelo

A Connection between Us

Nanay is always a popular topic of admiration and inspiration among the members of the clan. People from all walks of life always have something nice to tell about “Ate Lucy”. She had been the matriarch of our clan for the longest time. Fifteen years before she died, her “seat” still stays vacant, her shoes, although petite to look at, seem to be so big to fit anyone.

Next GenerationFrom the first child of my grandma

(Tito Richard), to her first grandchild (Ate Mara), to her first great grandchild (Ada); the Ravelo-Arbis family has grown into a big, and a still getting-bigger-family. Her ancestral house is still standing firm; her memories are still fresh.