Obituary of John Fernan Laxamana Manalo

JOHN FERNAN L. MANALO

(December 25, 1988-January 16, 2022)

Regina, Saskatchewan

John was a thoughtful, caring, generous and loving son, brother and friend. Someone who was always ready to lend a helping hand in any way he can. A God centered Christian; a value inculcated in his formative years being nurtured with Benedictine and Thomasian spirituality when he was still a student.

John was welcomed by our Creator on Sunday, January 16, 2022 (Canada time).  Being the kind of person he is, he prepared all of us before he joined our creator. He gave us quality time to spend and took care of him, though we knew it will never be enough. 

John was born December 25, 1988 and left at the age of 33, coincided with the birth and separation age from this earth of our loving God. John was always ready to join our creator. As he has said in his school project “I DO NOT FEAR DEATH, because death is as much a reality as birth, growth, maturity and old age. It is the one certainty in life.”

John was a bright, inquisitive and ambitious child, at an early age he wanted to be a doctor, an astronomer, an inventor of a flying automobile to evade traffic but most of all he wanted to build a foundation catering to malnourished children and a huge park with different rides catering to less fortunate children and elderly by giving free and unlimited rides.  He wanted to build a house with elevator so when his parents can no longer walk, they can still go up and down the house.

John was an achiever academically and behaviorally, hence, he was a consistent academic and deportment awardee.   He was an active member of the church, serving as lector, choir member and pianist of El Shaddai Music Ministry. He had passion for learning, from school and in life and was never hesitant to share what he knows to help others learn as well. He has an extensive palate and taste not just with food but for arts and music. For him, everything should be carefully planned and executed, because when you offer something to God, it should be the best. He loves to travel, explore and live life to the fullest. He enjoyed watching Broadway musicals, Japanese animated films, movies and series. The simplest pleasures in life brough great joy to him, finding reasons to celebrate, may it be big or small victories.

John graduated from University of Santo Tomas, Philippines with Bachelor of Nursing degree and Health Information Management graduate from Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Regina with Great Distinction and was considered as an Outstanding Alumni. He worked as a Communicable Disease Consultant at the Ministry of Health Government of Saskatchewan and was loved by his colleagues because of his kind, generous and smart personality.

John is survived by his parents Fernando and Estrella; and siblings Jerald Ariel, Jamie Marife and Jesrella Ana from the Philippines.

A Celebration of John’s life will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 11:00 am with viewing from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St Peter’s Catholic Church, 100 Argyle St. Regina SK. A life so beautifully lived deserves to beautifully remembered.