Obituary of Antonio M Pagkalinawan

Antonio Mendoza Pagkalinawan, 78, of Piscataway, NJ, passed away suddenly on December 28, 2016 at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center, New Brunswick. Born in Laguna, Philippines to the late Jovito and Gloria Pagkalinawan on September 26, 1938, he went on to meet and marry the love of his life on January 2, 1965, Estrella "Ella" Tumale. In 1978, he and his beloved wife made the daunting decision to uproot his family from the Philippines, for the chance at a better future in the United States. Immigrating to Jersey City, New Jersey they settled in Piscataway, New Jersey in 1988. Everyone in the Pagkalinawan family went on to achieve their own successes within their new home in America thanks to the difficult decision made by Antonio and Estrella. Mr. Pagkalinawan was a Chemical Engineer with Union Carbide Corporation in Piscataway for over 20 years before his retirement. Antonio was an active communicant of Our Lady of Fatima R.C. Church in Piscataway where he was a Eucharistic minister and a member of the Filipino Association. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and a former Grand Knight. Antonio and his wife were active in the Piscataway Senior Center. He enjoyed watching basketball, and Filipino TV. He and his wife loved to travel and were blessed to go to the Holy Land together. Most of all, he enjoyed the quality time spent with his cherished family. Above all, Antonio was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and uncle who was an inspiration to all. He was preceded in death by his daughter Theresa and brother Manuel. Surviving are his beloved wife, Estrella "Ella" Tumale Pagkalinawan, his loving children Raymund and wife Elinor, Cecilia, Antonio and wife Cecilia, and Jovito and Allison; his dear siblings Jovito, Remedios, Carmen, Sarah, and Rene; and cherished grandchildren Andrew, Stephen, Caitlyn, Gabby, Connor, Mateo, and Madelyn. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 30th 2016 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00PM at the Piscataway Funeral Home, 18 Stelton Road, Piscataway, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30AM on Saturday December 31st 2016 at Our Lady of Fatima R.C. Church, 501 New Market Rd, Piscataway, NJ. Interment will follow at Resurrection Burial Park, Piscataway, NJ.