Brod Alejo Alba

 UP Los Baños ’52

February 19, 1931 - September 18, 2018

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Farewell Rites

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Email Messages & Pictures

Brod Al Alba was rushed to Memorial Hermann Southwest Houston yesterday and confined in ICU with serious medical condition as of last night. Texas Betans are praying for his medical condition to improve and to give strength to his family in this difficult time. We request the same for our other brothers to do the same. Would appreciate your help to relay this request to others.

Thanks,
Edwin

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Texas GP Edwin Encomienda and the Brods in his Chapter are requesting prayers for healing for Elder Brod Al Alba UPLB'52, who was rushed to a hospital and now confined in ICU with serious medical condition.

Please read GP Edwin's message below.

Tatang

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Dear brothers,

Thank you all! Brod Al Alba has not regained consciousness since early Sunday. He was admitted to the hospital last Thursday due to accidental fall. Doctors and Citi scan didn’t find anything significant and was ready for discharge last Saturday when he complained of severe headache. Saturday night, he vomited and sneezed which triggered stroke and went unconscious. Doctors immediately operated on his brain to relieve of massive blood clot but never gained consciousness since then. He is now breathing only through life support but all indicators remained way below normal, ie bp, pulse rate, body temperature, etc.

Just 3 weeks ago, he was at the driving range. 2 weeks ago, he was brisk walking at the park. Last week, he insists that he and Sis Elsie attend the San Francisco Fratball this coming March 2019 and Toronto Fratball in July 2019.

Texas brothers are visiting him and keeping company to the family. Brod Teddy has been with the family all the time. Let’s continue to pray.

Edwin, UPD 73C

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Brothers,

Sadly, I just got informed that the family of brod Al Alba has decided to allow him to finally rest after the EEG tracing went flat meaning that the brain was already dead. Cremation will be done tonight.

Let us continue to offer prayers for him and his family.

Vale

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Brods Edwin, Roy, Vale --

My personal condolences and prayers to the family and the Texas brothers. Did not get an opportunity to meet Al, but I can feel your deep bond with him.

Let's make a memoriam for Al with his pictures and share with the Betan community who, as Vale said because of his early departure to the US after graduation, did not really get to know him, esp. the LB brods.
o Edwin -- brods' pictures in Houston with him; Al's college/family pictures; last rites pictures. Also need his DOB/DOD; any written eulogy.
o Vale -- family pictures of him and you from your sister's husband; Houston pictures.
o Roy -- golf, other pictures in Houston.

We share the loss of, until now, an active brod full of life, as Edwin said, with his brisk walking, golf and frat participation.

Norman

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I join you Brod Norman and the Brotherhood in praying for the soul of Brod Al Alba UPLB'52. Condolence to the Family and the Texas Brothers.

Mon Ventura BlackSaints '65

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Brothers all,

The last couple of times I was in Texas, Brod Al was my golfing partner in numerous rounds. He always had banana bread and mixed nuts to share to sustain us all. I will always remember him for his zest and how he takes everything in “moderation”.

May he rest peacefully in that celestial house with our God Almighty.

Our prayers and condolences.
RoyA

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Deepest condolence n prayers.

Ed Abon 69A, Panzer

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To the Family of Brod Al Alba,

On behalf of the UPBSI, we are truly sorry to hear of the loss of a our dearly departed Brod Al Alba.
Please accept our sincere condolences and may our prayers help comfort you and hasten the journey of his soul to Heaven.
Rest in Peace Brod Al.

Blessings,
Aman Carolino '71

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May he rest in peace. Deepest condolences to the family .

Brandy Ancheta

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I join the brods in offering my condolences to the family of Brod Al Alba UPLB '52. Must have been the batchmate of my uncle Danny Gorrez '52.

Ike

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I have known Al (Aling to his siblings and relatives) for more than 50 years but never knew that we are fraternity brothers. He is the identical twin brother of my sister's husband.

During the wedding rehearsal of my niece in 1996, I was wearing a UP Beta Sigma Malmon shirt when Al approached me and said that he also joined a fraternity in 1952 at UP Los Banos. He said "parang ganyan yung pangalan ng frat ko". Al had very limited time with his fraternity brothers. Al joined the fraternity during his senior year. After his studies, Al moved to the United States. Having no contact with his fraternity brothers for more than 50 years, he could no longer recall the exact name of his fraternity but said that we could possibly be frat brothers. Being doubtful about his claim, I asked Al if he could remember any details about his frat. He then related that he was initiated by his masters, being asked to perform crazy acts that we, as neophytes, were all familiar with. Among the names he mentioned during his days were Ylarde, Alino, Gorrez, etc... which I knew were some of the pillars of our Los Banos chapter. Right away, l was able to confirm that we are brods. A special bond between the two of us just blossomed, which some of our relatives noticed and were also surprised upon learning. Agewise, Al was more than 35 years my senior, yet we immediately were on the same page.

When I got back home, I immediately checked my copy of the newly released 1996 fraternity Golden yearbook which contained a directory of the Diliman and Los Banos rosters. And there in front of my eyes appeared the name Alejo Alba, LB batch 52. Fortunately, I purchased two copies so I immediately mailed my extra copy to him. He called me and was so grateful when he received it a few days later A few years later, I found out that there are Betans in Houston so I contacted Ted Camacho who was then the GP of the Texas chapter. The Houston brods paid Al a visit right away. Since that initial visit, Al had been a regular fixture during Betan meetings and fratballs. He quickly made up for his long absence by being actively involved in his chapter. Even Al's wife, Elsie, was grateful to the brods for including him in all of the fraternity's activities. She started sharing her baking secrets with the wives and would bring her made-from-scratch products during gatherings to the delights of all.

Sadly, Al suddenly left his dear family and his brods to join our Creator.

Al was a very simple person who left a deep impression to those of us who knew his character and integrity.

Our loss is heaven's gain.

I am sure that he is now watching over us in paradise.

We love and will miss you Aling.

I sure wish that we should have found out much earlier that we belong to the best brotherhood on Earth.

 Aling & Jose Alba, Grade 6, Day 2, 1947

  Jose & Aling, Dumaguete SEPT 1994

  Aling & Jose circa 1998

Vale

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My deep condolences to the family of Brod Al Alba. Praying for his eternal peace.

Yay Topacio

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Dear brothers,

With permission from his family, we’ll have his last rites around his hospital bed tonight. I wanted to hold off this ceremony until after cremation but they wanted it this way. Sad day indeed.

On behalf of Brod Al’s family, I wish to thank you all for all your condolences and wonderful life recollections. I will relay all these messages to his family tonight during his last rites. We will surely miss him but will never be forgotten!

Edwin

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While I havent had the chance to feel the brotherly love of Brod Al, I think that the brods attest to his cooperation in the last years of his life. I salute you Brod Al and pray that the Lord share His kingdom with you. My condolences to his family and loved ones.

Greg Palis 71

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Farewell, Brod Al. My deepest condolences to the family.

I know that a time like this is for grieving, but lately I’ve noticed that the process is evolving into less about the sadness of losing someone and more towards the celebration of one’s life.
We have been taught by our some of our predecessors, even some of our religions that it is a scary, terrible thing; but nobody really knows.
We all have to go through it at one point of our lives (or deaths) and I would like to start believing more that it is not too bad.
No more worldly worries; no more pain; and according to those who have had near death experiences, is blissful; supposedly a time when who we truly are (our souls) go back to our Creator.
After graduating from college, Brod Al lost communications with the brods for many, many decades. But there is a very nice story about how he rediscovered the Beta Sigma.

Y’all be well…
olraC

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As we mourn the death of Brod Al Alba, it is comforting to note that our brods in Texas are making sure that the bereaved families are not alone during their moments of great loss.

VicR62upd

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Yes, Al's family is very grateful to the brods and the fraternity as a whole for keeping Al busy and actively involved in the frat's activities after his retirement from the US Department of Agriculture. He was finally able to reconnect with his brods after a long absence and spend his weekend teeing off with the younger generation of Betans. Although the family wanted to keep Al's situation private, they have granted permission to the Betan family to visit him while he was still in the hospital and for the Betan last rites ceremony. The brods in Houston really took gentle care of Al like a very delicate and precious person until the very end.

Vale

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My deepest condolences to the family of Brod Al. With the knowledge that the Betan brods collectively mourn with them
hopefully will help ease their grief. May the soul of our Brod Al rest in peace in our Lords Kingdom

Jose Llames

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Brothers dear,

Once again and on behalf of Texas Beta Sigma and Brod Al’s family, I would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to you all, our brothers, who gave tremendous support during this sad moment.

We had a simple but very solemn and emotional last rites last nite around Brod Al’s hospital bed in the presence of Manang Elsie and their youngest son, Daniel. His official date and time of death is Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 2:15pm. His body is kept inside the ICU until Friday when they would have finished examination on his organs as Brod Al was a donor. There upon, his body will be immediately transferred to a parlor for cremation without viewing. A mass was arranged this coming Monday, 10:00am at St. Justin church where Brod Al and Manang Elsie were parishioners.

The rites started well until the portion when the MOTR called out Brod Al’s name and no one answered. It even became more difficult to speak without breaking your voice and so emotional when we had the eulogy. Brod Teddy Camacho, recollected the days when they started seeing as Brods, thanks to Brod Vale for the discovery! Just 3 weeks ago, Teddy went out with Brod Al to the driving range. Just a week ago, they went together in the Eldridge park for jogging (walking for Al). Teddy was acknowledged by Manang Elsie as their 4th son.

I also asked Brod Marvic Pacoma to read 2 of the more than 30 messages we got from you, Brods, to share with the family. Recollections and stories which gave smile to Manang Elsie and son Daniel. I promised Manang Elsie to send her all the messages I got from you all, Brods, so she can read them herself. Manang Elsie, on her part, was overwhelmed with the support we all have given their family especially during this sad time. She and their son Daniel are extending their gratitude to the whole brotherhood.

I have forwarded some pictures we have of Brod Al to Brod Norman, ie playing golf, doing apple dance, just posing for pictures, even doing karaoke! We will surely miss Brod Al, a truly Texas Beta Sigma treasure! Manang Elsie will still be there during our fellowships, thanks to Brod Teddy (who also double as their driver), so we can still savor the unique taste of her banana bread and specially prepared pastries for the brods!

Leaving the ICU after the rites is another long and sad story.

Edwin Encomienda, UPD 73C
GP, Texas Chapter

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Brod Edwin, I commend you and the rest of the Beta Sigma - Texas Chapter for showing the bond of brotherhood that transcends region, age and chapters. Even more noteworthy is making one of our Visions, "No UP Beta Sigman Stands Alone", a reality. Your actions and the rest of your chapter attest to the kinship between us all Beta Sigmans. Thanks for representing the brotherhood to Brother Al's family.

From another UPLB Beta Sigman, please extend my sincere condolences to Sis Elsie and the rest of his family.

Jim Gonzalvo, UPLB '70B

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