BROD NING DE LA PAZ UPLB'57 PASSED AWAY 09MAR2007

The Betan Rites at The Christ The King Church, Greenmeadows, Q.C.

- March 13, 2007

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Brod Thad,

This is great and what a wonderful tribute to Brod Ning.  I'm sure it was a bittersweet moment for you
seeing him again after 39 years and for us to lose him a few days thereafter.  

I'll make sure your remembrance gets posted in the UPBSFI website for all the brods to enjoy.

Cheers!! - Norman'65
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WHAT THE HECK . . .

Wednesday, March 7.  It was almost four when I tiptoed inside Room 1117 at the Medical City in Pasig.  It was Sister Noni, FMM, Brod Jeje de la Santa's sibling, who informed me the day before that Ninggoy was there. So there he was, deep in his morphine-induced sleep, his chest heaving with each labored breath. 

Not having met any of his family, I introduced myself to his daughter May as a brod from Los Baños days.  "Days" meant some 39 years since we last saw each other, having left UPLB right after graduating in 1968.  I don't remember seeing him in the few occasions I attended fraternity alumni gatherings in Manila.  It wasn't easy seeing Ning that afternoon when I still had him in my mental files as a sophisticated guy, with that confident bearing, goatee and all.

Somehow I managed to tell May that Ning's room at the International House was opposite mine, that I used to hitch a ride to Manila in his cream Renault Dauphin some weekends, that he loved to sing . . . well, that started my own nostalgia of days long ago.

A number of visitors came and went, but I decided to stay put and wait for that remote possibility of Ning waking up.  I had set aside that afternoon to visit him, and since I would not be staying in Manila for long, I was not willing to let the chance to pass.  I guess I owed it to Ning – for old times' sake.  I just arrived from Tel Aviv the day before and would be leaving after a week, and that was my only opportunity.

Ninggoy did not let me down.  He woke up after an hour and his face lit up when he saw me.  May mumbled who I was but I believed he recognized me immediately as he called out my name before I could find my way through the many IV tubes to clasp his hand.  He was lucid, sharp and very engaging.

The usual how-are-you's followed.  "May is a nurse in the U.S., my son Marco is running the school and busy whipping them in line."

"You have three grandchildren already?  I don't believe it!" he told me.

"Brod, I married a year after graduating while you played the field," I answered.

"Don't tell my wife that!"  And he was really chuckling.

"Ning, I was telling May how you loved to sing.  I remember during the rehearsals for 'The King and I,'  director Edgar de la Cruz would holler 'Ninggoy, stop crooning! Sing!' "

"Yeah, I remember that," Ning answered. "Do not croon!  He kept shouting at me."

"You would always say Atnakan na, Brods!"  He was fond of inverting words, like atnak for kanta and well, his muse was then known among us as Nas Ordep when he was still secretly planning to court Miss San Pedro  (I bet Selly did not know this).

"That we would hang out at Anita's 'Cherry Pink Refreshment Parlor' at Grove and sing the night away over bottles of beer then go over to your pad at the subdivision for more atnakan?"

"Oh God, those were the days.  Well, what the heck, I lived life fully, I have no regrets."

May joined in. "What the heck – that's his favorite expression, and I'm getting to use it myself."

"It's a very practical expression and applicable anytime without being vulgar," Ning added.

"Well, it's also one way of letting go," I said.

"Yeah.  What the heck, let go.  That's nice," he answered.

Selly and Marco arrived shortly.  More repartees from Ning as we recalled Our Town, East of Eden, The Case of the Crushed Petunias, Cradle Song and other stage productions at Baker Hall and the IRRI Auditorium where he played lead or major roles.

Break time.  Selly had a big purple starapple which she lovingly fed him, and he managed to finish half the fruit.  The sun had already set, Ning drifted off to sleep, then stirred and asked to be repositioned, his bed readjusted, then settled in a shallow slumber.

It was time for me to go.  When he stirred again, I begged my leave.  We did not know it was to be our final goodbye.  Maybe, just maybe, I was the last brod who saw him and talked with him.  A number must have come, but found him asleep.  Brod Jimmy Lagdameo, his closest buddy and constant companion, had only a few minutes over the phone.  But Ning was there for me.  What the heck – we could have sang together, if only I remembered to ask him.

Ning passed away the following Friday.  Selly, Marco and May were at his bedside.  He said he wanted to go.  But he didn't say "What the heck."  He just let go.

The man is gone.  But Ning, the legend, lives on.

Thad T. Hamoy βΣ '62

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UPBSFAAI OBIT:

BROD NING DELA PAZ UPLB'57, died yesterday, 09Mar2007.  Remains lie in state at Christ The King Church, Greenmeadows, QC.  Please pass!

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Brods and Siss!

Our dear Brod Ning de la Paz passed away at 6:30 PM last night, March 9.  His wake is now at the CHRIST the KING Church in Green Meadows, Quezon City. There will be a Betan Final Rites  on Tuesday, March 13 at 8 PM. The cremation and interment is scheduled on Wednesday, March 14.  Let us pray for the eternal peace of Brod Ning's soul as he enters the Kingdom of Our Almighty!  Those who would like to extend personal condolences can reach his wife, SEL, via her cel.no. 09176283526.
 

God Bless!!!
 

Anggie

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Ernest Tremor <e_tremor@hotmail.com> wrote:
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Brod Ning is a Beta Sigma icon.  Aside from his great success as a GP he will be fondly remembered for his role in our play the "South Pacific".  He was the young Lieutenant who fell in love with a young polynesian France Nguyen (played by our sis Pauline Bunye, now Chiongbian).  The mother "Bloody Mary" was played Sis Patsy Chan, now Rivera.  He will be truly missed.  My family and I extend our deepest sympathy to Brod Ning's loved ones for their loss.  Their loss is shared by the UPLB brods and sis.

Ernie & Marcy
 

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From:  Veedevera <misterv67@yahoo.com>
Date:  Sat, 10 Mar 2007 07:41:43 -0800 (PST)

I am very much saddened by the passing away of dear brod Ning de la Paz, the original member of "Cubao Boys" with such notables as Vic Vargas, "Kuya" Danding Domingo, and many others who became Betans.
 

I remember him as a cool Betan fresh from a graduate studies course in the US.  With him was a new culture from US campus intellectuals called "Beatniks".  Truly so, he brought that generation into the UP Los Banos campus together with some other brods, and true to tradition and intellectualism, UP Los Banos Betans became aware of the richness of camaraderie, campus-fraternity style.  Suddenly brods were wearing berets, Levis jeans, playing guitars, bongos, congas, and celebrating on school weekends with TGIF parties usually held at Ning's bungalow close to the campus.  Ning was instrumental in forming our very own singing group called "The Broken Chords".  His love and passion for stage-plays echoed his intellectual interests.  I am very much honored and thankful for the times I have spent with this brod, a very fine gentleman brod, appropriately cool, stylish and a pride of the UP Los Banos breed of Beta Sigmans.
 

Farewell to "The Cool Betan".
 

May your soul rest in peace.

veedera-original member of The Broken Chords
 

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From:  Manuel Gaspay <mgaspay@sbcglobal.net>
Date:  Sat, 10 Mar 2007 10:46:52 -0800


I met Ning dela Paz, perhaps a couple of times or more, during meetings of the UP Beta Sigma alumni association in the Philippines.  One of the LB stalwarts and a die-hard Beta Sigman.  You are lucky Vee that you were able to share unforgettable moments with him. We share the communal sorrow of another one of our own going to the Great Beyond.

Pogs
 

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