Lolo's Legacy

My Dad through the eyes of  his oldest grandaughter, Lindsey Anne Baguio, 25 years old.

     I see old photos of him: Emilio Suarez - tall, slender with wide-rimmed glasses. I wonder what he was like as a young man. If he was anything like the Lolo I know. I’ll remember that my Lolo and Lola took good care of me as a child, not only me but my cousins too.

     I’m the oldest granddaughter so their first stop in the United States was our house. They lived in the  room downstairs and their TV was always on. I think that’s where my appreciation for old Hollywood movies began and why I count Audrey Hepburn and Clark Gable among my favorite actors. Lolo loved to watch old black and white movies and “Bonanza” – I can still hear the theme song in my head!

     I’ll remember as he watched TV he was always munching on something. He loved to eat peanuts. He went through jars and jars of Planter’s Peanuts. And as requested, my mom made sure he had a steady supply of Wheat Thins too.

     If he wasn’t watching TV he always had something to read. I’ll remember that he nurtured my love of books and helped me become the bibliophile that I am today. I have a storage cabinet full of books to prove it. I’ll always remember… one year when I was in grade school, for a Christmas or a birthday, I asked Lolo and Lola for a book. I mailed to them the order form in Kentucky. Not only did they buy me
the requested book, they bought me the whole set.  Throughout the years he continued without fail to send us books. We never understood why he picked the ones he did but we have them, in my book cabinet! I’m planning that my future house will have a wall full of shelves just for books – my own small library - in honor of Lolo.

     From  Lolo, I also learned the definition of what it means to be passionate. I’ll remember that he was infamously known for his emotions. He had such melodramatic expressions. He was also quite the actor: I remember lying next to him one afternoon as he told me a story. I wish I could remember the plot. I just remember his many voices - high pitched and low, and his contorted facial expressions… I’ll miss his storytelling.

     From Lolo, I learned how to clean a plate..I’ll remember at each meal how he ate every last grain of rice, soaked up the last of the sauce with a piece of bread…. Never letting anything go to waste.

     Like my other three grandparents… I learned by example from Lolo the definition of faith. If he couldn’t go to church, he would watch services on TV. He also maintained a strict prayer schedule with Lola in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.

     One of the last memories I have of Lolo is his last night before he left the U.S. for the final time. It’s the image I’ll choose to remember him by. He was staying at our house in the downstairs room with Lola just like when I was little. I peeked in their room (like when I was little) to find them sleeping ... so peacefully… nothing unusual. But it was their position that struck me. They were lying next to each other face-to-face with their arms intertwined so lovingly.

     It is his love for Lola that will leave the most lasting impression with me. It’s because of them I have such an awesome mother - strong, responsible and faithful. It’s because of them I have six loving aunties and uncles who found just as equally loving spouses. And there’s also the numerous cousins who are always fun to visit.

Rest in peace Lolo…