Marcelino Manlapas Vergara

Marcelino Manlapas Vergara, 94, of Venice, Florida passed Saturday, August 15, 2015. Marcelino was born to the late Ignacio and Catalina Vergara, on April 26, 1921, in Apalit, Pampanga in the Philippines. Marcelino came from a family of 8 children and from his humble beginnings in the rural farming and fishing village of Pampanga, he was the first in his family to attain a college education. He studied medicine in the Philippines then came to the United States to complete his medical internship at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Ohio. He met his wife Lorenda Mata while interning there. The couple were married on September 18, 1954. Marcelino specialized in ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat. He had a fellowship at Metro Health Center in Cleveland and practiced at Shaker Medical Hospital in Shaker Heights. With his wife and daughter, he relocated to Southern California during the 70’s and eventually retired in Orange County. Marcelino and Lorenda relocated to Venice, Florida in 2012 where they lived their final years. His lifetime passions included golf and cooking traditional Filipino dishes that he learned from his mother. He was a veteran of World War II, where he fought under General Douglas MacArthur, and was shot in the jungle during conflict with the Japanese. Lorenda, his wife of 59 years, passed in Venice, Florida in August of 2013. Marcelino is survived by his children: Kenneth Vergara (married to Rebecca Smith Vergara) of North Olmsted, Ohio and Jocelyn Vergara Johnson of Venice, Florida. He also is survived by four grandchildren: Rachel, Chad, and Hannah Vergara and Callie Johnson as well as one great grandchild, Kira ""Moops"" Vergara. A private family memorial will be held on Friday, August 28th at Madison On The Lake, Ohio preceding the marriage of his only grandson Chad Vergara to Kerri Leabu, both of North Olmsted, Ohio. Marcelino’s and Lorenda’s ashes will be merged and returned to the earth with a tree planted on family property by Lake Erie. They met, married and made a life in Ohio…and the circle continues with his family.