Teresita Calderon Vergara
September 17, 2026 marks the first death anniversary of Teresita Calderon Vergara, the eldest daughter of
Dorotea J. Calderon and Marciano B. Calderon.
Following is a loving tribute by her son, Victor C. Vergara
James wrote to the Believers:
“Whenever you face trials of many kinds, consider it pure joy. For the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work,
So that you may be mature and complete,
Lacking nothing.”
This verse captures how Mom lived her life.
At just 10 years old, after losing her father in the war, she stepped into responsibility far beyond her years.
She cared for others when she herself was still a child.
That was the pattern of her life—meeting every trial with courage, every setback with perseverance.
She became the first lady lawyer in her family, at a time when women were told to stay home or become teachers. She refused to accept limits.
She went on to be an entrepreneur. From a small town in Cebu, she brought her business across borders.
She was the first to bring San Miguel Beer and Magnolia Ice Cream to a young Dubai, serving fellow Filipinos who longed for a taste of home in the 1980s.
These are only a few of her accomplishments.
She also faced her share of failures. But what set her apart was how she carried them. With grace. With humility. With faith.
She was street smart. Purposeful. Headstrong.
But in these quiet days of remembrance, I’ve come to see something deeper.
Beneath her steely resolve was devotion.
A devotion to God.
A devotion to family.
A devotion to helping others live better lives.
That is her true legacy. Not the titles, or the businesses, or the barriers she broke. But the lives she touched. The people she lifted up.
And so today, as we grieve, we also give thanks. Because we have not only witnessed a life of perseverance. We have been shaped by it.
We are her work.
Her faith—made complete.
Memorial Service at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Rowland Heights
September 19, 2026
