Caring Cayabyab

Caridad Evangelista Cayabyab was born July 30, 1930 in Piaz, Villasis, Philippines.  Everybody knew her as CARING.  She was the 7th of 8 children, 3 brothers and 4 sisters.  Caring grew up on a farm and after high school she ventured to Manila and at 22 she graduated in 1952 from the prestigious University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. She was a Registered Nurse in Manila, married a handsome businessman, Amado and had 2 wonderful sons, Lee and Laurence.

Caring left Manila to pursue her wanderlust and went to USA to nurse in Newark, New Jersey.  After 2 years and 2 freezing winters she went back to the warmth of Manila. Caring had an adventurous spirit.  This time it was a journey to Canada.  With her 2 young boys, she arrived in Ponoka, Alberta on July 2, 1965.  She did not know anybody in Canada and with her amiable personality she made friends quickly. She will always be grateful for Joan Drakes and Leo Geisinger's friendship. They were guiding lights in the early years of the Cayabyab family adjusting their lives in Ponoka.  With her savviness and determination, Caring raised her family on her own. They were the first Filipinos to stay and settle here for the last 55 years. Caring was a Registered Nurse at the Alberta Hospital Ponoka for 25 years.

After she retired in 1990 she became a Mary Kay Cosmetic Consultant and found her new passion.  Talking to ladies and making them beautiful. Her success in Mary Kay included being Canada's National Mary Kay Queen of Personal Sales in 1985 and 2001.  She was on Stage in the Queens Court in Toronto every year for 20 years.  She was 1st Runner-up in Sales 4 times and 2nd Runner up twice.  That's a lot of Cosmetics sold.  Caring accumulated a multitude of Accolades and was in her glory with Mary Kay.  The girls at Head Office in Toronto today still reflect on her as the Vibrant Go-getter.

Caring always considered herself a Leo, sign of the Lion, a Matriarch who always protected and provided for her family.  She was kind, gentle and loving.  Through the years Caring brought her nephews and nieces from the Philippines to Canada to begin a new life on their own like she did in 1965.  Her altruism would be her legacy.  Now those families live in Calgary, Edmonton, Wetaskiwin, Victoria, California, New York and Virginia.

Caring's other passions were to travel and exercise.  Besides her trips back to the Philippines to see families she had been across Canada from Victoria to Halifax. She frolicked in the sun of Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey, the Netherlands, China, Japan and numerous States.  When she was at home she would be working out doing light calisthenics, hundreds of reps on the rowing machine and jogging on her treadmill.  In her Senior years she could be seen walking up to 5 km around town.

Caring was a devout Catholic attending Saturday or Sunday mass and was a member of the Catholic Women's League.

Her bright smiles, laughter, enthusiasm and zest to live life will be remembered by her sons Lee (Ligaya) and Laurence; grandsons Jeremy (Nichole) and Christopher; as well as all of her relatives and friends.  She was predeceased by her parents Placido and Toribia; her husband Amado; her brothers Eling, Soni, and Beto; and her sisters Sosing, Doring, Carmen, and Bebang. 

Due to the current restrictions, a private Funeral Mass is being held at St. Augustine Catholic Church.

A public Prayer Vigil will be held at the Ponoka Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. led by Deacon Rollie Comeau.  The family asks that only the adults attend due to the limits on attendees.  The Prayer Vigil will be Live-Stream Broadcast at service time and the recording will remain on this page for 1 year (viewer located at the bottom of this page).

Memorial donations are gratefully accepted to St. Augustine Catholic Church Building Fund.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Caring Cayabyab, please visit our floral store.