Maria "Lily" Salome Barlaan Cabanero

Maria Salome “Lily” Barlaan Cabanero, 88, of Charlotte, died May 3, 2017, with her family at her side at the Harris Hospice Unit of Novant Medical Center, Presbyterian Campus. Lily was born in Manila, Philippines, on October 22, 1928, the daughter of Pedro and Baldomera Santos Barlaan. When Lily was just 7 years old, she became the “second” mom to her youngest sister, Juanita, after their mother passed away shortly after Juanita’s birth. She lived in Alabang, Rizal during her early years where she described herself as being a tomboy climbing trees, hanging out at the beach, swimming, getting in and out and up and down wells, socializing with young and old family members and new and old friends. She was not afraid to attest that she was the most well-travelled kid of the family! Due to World War II, Lily attended 4 different high schools in Manila before attending university. A bright mind and energetic spirit, she earned her degree in Optometry (magna cum laude) from Centro Escolar University in Manila, Philippines under a full scholarship. She went on to as an optometrist, a teacher and examiner for the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue. At the encouragement of her brother Matteo and sister Anacleta, it was Lily’s idea to migrate the entire family to the US in 1975. Her husband, Jesus, said many times that this was the best thing that ever happened to the family and she fervently prayed for it without giving up. Her only job in the United States was being the key staff member of a busy optical store in the heart of downtown Chicago, a job for which she was hired on the spot only days after her arrival! But Lily’s life was not all about work. She was exceptionally fond of her heritage and she enjoyed many hobbies. Lily was an excellent cook specializing in classic Filipino favorites - menudo, adobo, pancit, egg rolls, morcon, sinigang, nilaga, etc. … and she cooked just about every Filipino dish even from other regions of the country like Cebu where her husband was born and raised. She knew the dishes of her family’s hometown of Pangasinan and spoke the dialect fluently. Lily loved crossword puzzles and Scrabble®. Her daily routine started with conquering the Charlotte Observer crossword puzzle for the day. She loved playing mah jong, both socially and competitively. She also enjoyed bingo at home or at St. Thomas Aquinas. Bananagram was her game, she knew the dictionary inside out and she mastered 3-letter and 10+ letter words - the key to success at crossword puzzles, scrabble and bananagram. Lily also wrote well and her grammar was always perfect. In addition to being an intelligent woman, Lily was loaded with wisdom and street smarts. No one could beat her in price negotiations with any vendor in the fresh, wet, open markets of Manila! It was a sight to see, to hear her was like being on the floor of the NYSE. She also had a green thumb and could nurse plants and flowers back to health. She had a special affection for orchids and she would make them thrive, often talking to her plants and flowers. In the end, however, Lily’s greatest loves in her life were her family and her faith. She taught her children how to pray starting with the 6 pm daily Angelus, the Holy Rosary, The Litanies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Blessed Mother, the Saints, St. Anthony and St. Jude (her favorite saints) and St. Michael. She was a devoted churchgoer and novena prayer warrior. Continuing her activity in the church, she was a devotee of Our Lady of Manaoag (DOLMA) in Chicago, a “Couples for Christ Handmaid of the Lord”, a longstanding member of the Marian Rosary Group of Charlotte. She was an active participant of the St. Gabriel Parish Rosary Ministry, having assembled over 1,100 rosaries since September 2016 that were sent all over the world. In honor of that she holds one now. She was also an active member of the St. Gabriel Memory Makers. Lily prayed endlessly for any and every reason in every season, it was how she lived her life! Lily is survived by her children: Maria Jesusa “Majessa" C. (husband, Renato) Foronda and their children: Renessa, Roeland and Raymund; a son Ramuel “Ram” B. Cabanero and his daughter, Robyn Laura Cabanero; a daughter Macrina “Rina" C. (husband, Oscar) Goco and their children Timothy O. and J. Anthony Goco; and a daughter LilyAnn (Husband Randy) Cabanero-Plyler. She is further survived by two sisters, Anacleta S. Barlaan and Juanita S. Barlaan; 10 nieces and nephews, and numerous other family and friends. Lily was preceded in death by her husband, Jesus, in 1998, as well as a daughter-in-law, Rosemarie A. Cabanero; and siblings: Nila B. Cay, Lamberto S. Barlaan, Numeriano S. Barlaan and Matteo S. Barlaan. In honor of her faith, the family will begin the vigil Monday afternoon at 3:00 pm at St. Gabriel Catholic Church. This will conclude at 6:00 pm. On Tuesday, Father Frank O’Rourke will lead the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 am. Following the Mass, the family will receive friends for food and fellowship in the church hall. Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home will then handle the cremation so that on Thursday, May 11th, Father Paul Gary will hold an interment mass at St. Luke’s Catholic Church at 4:00 pm immediately followed by the committal of Lily’s ashes in the church columbarium garden. Lily’s family has given the privilege of caring for them to the family of Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home, 4715 Margaret Wallace Road, Matthews. To share memories, photos, videos and condolences, visit the Tribute Wall page. For more details, call 704-545-3553. Thank you for keeping the Cabanero family in your thoughts, prayers and acts of kindness; both those done and those yet to be.

Maria "Lily" Salome Barlaan Cabanero

October 22, 1928 - May 3, 2017