Apolinario Cueva del Rosario

Apolinario Cueva del Rosario—more affectionately known as Nario, Del, Dy, or Ampa—joined our Heavenly Father on October 5, 2020, after a nearly 10-month-long battle with leukemia. He was 86. Nario was a driven, resourceful, hard-working, and hard-fighting family man—traits made manifest both through his first-generation immigrant story and during his final days of life. Born on July 23, 1934 in the small village of Catbalogan, Samar, Philippines, he was the sixth of eight children born to Alberto del Rosario and Salud Cueva del Rosario. A child during World War II, Nario witnessed various wartime events, including a dog fight between American and Japanese fighter planes. Through his childhood, he embodied various traits that he would eventually pass down to his children and grandchildren. His grandfather, Rafael Cueva, was a Spaniard and devout Catholic a religion that his family would practice for generations to come—who came to the Philippines. A studious and artistic individual, Nario valued his education, was always on the honor roll, and participated in high school operettas, dramas, and musical plays. In his hometown of Catbalogan, he met his wife, Leviosa “Evy” Piczon, after being introduced by a mutual friend. After nearly nine years of courting, they married on June 12, 1963 and started their family in the Philippines. They had four children: Rochette, Rigel, Rina, and Romel. In 1974, Nario had ambitions to bring his family to the United States to seek greater economic opportunity. Temporarily leaving his family behind in Catbalogan, he traveled alone to Quezon City, Manila, then to San Francisco, California. While in San Francisco, he stayed with family friends and worked as a chemical engineer and estimator. He would regularly send money and gifts back to his wife and children in the Philippines, all the while saving enough funds and completing the immigration process to bring his five family members to join him in the United States in 1976. In the first few years with his family in the United States, Nario and Evy rented a home in San Francisco, while sending their children to Holy Name School. After briefly relocating to a home in Moscow Street, they eventually bought a home in Vallejo, California—a home Nario would live in until his death. Despite being away from Catbalogan for many years, Nario wanted to maintain ties to his hometown and help create a sense of community for other Catbaloganons who immigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area. He became the first President of Catbaloganon of Northern California based in San Francisco. This community’s hallmark celebration was the annual novena to St. Bartholomew, the Patron Saint of Catbalogan, and its accompanying fiesta. Alongside Evy, Nario also started their own business: a care home facility in Napa, California. Together, they would manage and operate this home for nearly 22 years, until they both retired. After retirement, Nario was able to indulge in one of the activities that made him happiest: spending time with his ever-growing family. He and his wife would travel with their children, grandchildren, and family friends to countless destinations: pilgrimages to the Holy Land, cruises to Alaska and the Mediterranean, Japan, Disneyland, Disney World, and Hawaii. He would never miss his grandchildrens’ sports tournaments, piano or violin recitals, dramatic or musical plays, or graduation ceremonies. He loved every holiday and would ensure that his home was perfectly decorated and prepared for his large family to gather and celebrate. Nario was a creature of habit, and his children and grandchildren knew where to find him at any point of the week or day. In the morning, he would enjoy his breakfast: a strawberry smoothie and two Eggo waffles. During the day, he and Evy would run errands and visit their family. In the evening, his family could find him eating dinner with Evy while watching nightly programming on ABC7—the evening news, “Jeopardy,” and “Wheel of Fortune.” He would continue this routine until and while seeking treatment for leukemia, with which he was diagnosed in December 2019. Ever the fighter and family man, rather than spend his final days alone in the hospital due to COVID-19 restrictions, Nario was able to garner enough strength to return to his family home in Vallejo and spend his final days surrounded by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Leviosa “Evy”; his children and their spouses—Rochette and Daniel Kim, Rigel and Gloria del Rosario, Rina and Andrew Caragan, and Romel del Rosario; his sister, Sally; 11 grandchildren—Stephanie Manlutac (Andrew Manlutac), Sarina Caragan (Reggie Ballesteros), Sierra Caragan, Calvin Caragan, Daniel John Kim, Alenna del Rosario, Isabella del Rosario, Sofia del Rosario, Angelina Kim, Aidan del Rosario, and Apollo del Rosario; and four great-grandchildren—Olivia, Micah, Anya, and Noah. An intimate vigil service led by Fr. Jess Soriano will take place at Twin Chapels Mortuary on Monday, October 12th. A funeral Mass presided by Fr. Jess Soriano will take place at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, and Nario will be laid to rest at All Souls Cemetery on Tuesday, October 13th. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, these services will be closed to immediate family members and to a limited number of guests via invitation only. Livestream links to the vigil service and to the funeral Mass will be made available to those unable to attend in-person.

Apolinario Cueva del Rosario

July 23, 1934 - October 5, 2020