Agripino Latayan Balahadia Obituary (1941

Agripino Balahadia lived a faithful life of generosity, love and adventure before he passed away on July 18, 2024, in the Philippines. "Pinong" was born in Tanauan, Batangas, Philippines on November 9, 1941, as the oldest son of 10 children to Gregorio and Aniceta Balahadia (Latayan). He studied surveying at the Mapua Institute of Technology in the Philippines before joining the US Navy at the age of 19. He told fond memories of sharing a small bedroom with all his siblings and racing to the palengke/open market to open the family store before leaving that behind to join the military. He retired after 30 years of service in the Navy as Master Chief having served at duty stations both at sea and on land (Iceland, Mississippi, Guantanamo Bay, Whiting Field, Adak, Honolulu, Diego Garcia and Bremerton). It was from Meridian Mississippi that he would travel with friends to Washington DC. And it was in DC that he would meet his friend's cousin, Mary, and begin courting her through letters before she finally agreed to marry him. For the next 45 years, Al and Mary built a life together surrounded by extended family/friends and a community who they loved deeply and met regularly with for celebrations, food and mahjongg. They made vacation memories throughout many of the Philippine Islands, camping and road tripping through the Pacific Northwest, on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, cruising the Caribbean and Mediterranean, riding sand dunes in Dubai, traversing the Panama Canal, rumbling through an African safari, driving a car on the wrong side of the road from France to Brussels and Amsterdam, and exploring Sydney, Australia before Mary passed away in March of 2015. Tracing his roots back to his homeland, he loved to garden and work in the yard and spent time going to "University" and in the Masons (Worshipful Master 2014 - 2015). Blessed by two daughters Alma (Patrick) and Aileen (Michael) and five grandchildren (Arianna, Solenne, Marella, Diwa and Talavera), Al continued his life of adventure by (ferry) boat as he commuted weekly to spend time with his apo. And with them, he traveled all around the US and Europe, Fiji, Mexico and the Philippines. Al is preceded in death by his wife (Maria), parents (Gregorio and Aniceta) and siblings (Dominga, Claudia, Anastacio). There will be a viewing at Lewis Chapel in Bremerton, Washington on Sunday, August 11, 2024, from 1 pm - 5 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 am at Our Lady Star of the Sea, 500 Veneta Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337, preceded by a viewing from 9 am - 9:30 am and a rosary at 9:30 am. A graveside service with military honors will be held on Monday, August 12, 2024, from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th St, Kent, WA 98042. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Archdiocese of the Military. Link below. Arrangements entrusted to Lewis Funeral Chapel in Bremerton, Washington.