Dominga Rizal Secretaria

It is with great sadness that the family of Dominga Rizal Secretaria announce her passing at the age of 89 years, on April 14, 2022.

Dominga was predeceased by her husband, Bruno Secretaria Sr. in August 1985, and her eldest son, Jose Rizal in December 2020. Dominga will be lovingly remembered by her 6 children, 18 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren, all over the world.

Born on December 20, 1932, Dominga was the youngest of 10 children. She was smart in her class, and dreamed of being a teacher, but her parents couldn’t afford it. At a young age, her life was home, the farm, and church. She was a religious woman, always at the church on Sundays and special days or holidays. She married her husband, Bruno Sr. in January 1954, and he worked for the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development in Cebu Philippines. Bruno Sr. passed away in August 1985. 

Dominga arrived in Vancouver Canada in 1992 and loved life here immediately. She watched and cared for many children over the years and had a special knack for having everybody play nicely together. She also crocheted, sewed, and loved to shop for the best deal. She enjoyed taking many pictures of her grandchildren on her Kodak film camera and getting them developed. She loved to listen to old songs and would even dance if the mood struck her.

Dominga was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 75, and around 10 years after that, her kidneys began to fail. Despite this, she was always her usual happy and caring self, and ever excited when someone visited her or brought a gift. She loved that this gave her a chance to talk about her childhood, and cherished memories with family and friends.

The family would like to thank the caring staff and management at Willingdon Care Centre who helped Dominga and made her stay and final years comfortable.

Dominga will be forever in our hearts. The family invites you to share a personal message or memory.