Benjamin C. Gorospe Jr.

Ben’s family initially lived in Sampaloc, Manila where his father, Benjamin Sr, worked as a conductor for the Meralco Trambiya (Trolley) during that time. When the transportation system improved in the Manila area the trolley system was discontinued and Ben’s father was laid-off; he was forced to move to Mexico, Pampanga where he became a police officer. The family soon settled down in the barrio of San Vicente in Pampanga where Ben’s father was born. They built a small house behind the San Vicente Methodist Church and they lived there through the Japanese invasion of the Philippines on December 8, 1944 until the liberation of Manila in 1944. Ben, at this time, had three brothers and two sisters, Honorio, Orlando, Aracely, Amelia and Ricardo. The family then moved to Magdalena, Laguna where Timan, the youngest child was born. In Magdalena, the family lived in a small house in the middle of a coconut plantation where they used to gather coconuts to supplement their income. They used the coconut meat, baked in the sun, and brought them to a factory four kilometers away where Ben’s father worked as a storekeeper.

Ben went to Magdalena Elementary School where he graduated with top honors as the Valedictorian in 1948. Growing up during these times was difficult and Ben was not immune to the hardships of many. Soon after graduation, Ben was asked by his mother to go to Manila to stay and work at his uncle’s home and auto shop where he earned 10.00 pesos per week or approximately $0.24; he used this money to help the family in their day-to-day living expenses. Even through his busy work schedule, Ben found ways to improve himself by going to night school. He never complained about taking on more responsibilities but did regret the fact that he was apart from his family whom he dearly missed. Ben’s father, recognizing this fact, decided to move the entire family to Manila so they can all be together once again.

In 1954, the Good Lord opened a door of opportunity that would shape Ben’s career as a mechanic and engineer. At the ripe age of 23, Ben was able to find work as a driver mechanic at Aircon, Incorporated, one of the major air conditioner manufacturing companies in the Philippines. Realizing the golden opportunity in front of him, Ben seized every chance he could to advance his knowledge of engineering and air conditioning. He applied, and was accepted, for a position to the company assembly line where he learned the inner workings of air conditioning units. His drive for self-improvement did not stop at acquiring more technical positions; he also read every available books and manuals for air conditioning and refrigeration that he could lay his hands on. Whenever possible, he also attended seminars offered by foreign air conditioning manufacturers such as Fedders and Carriers. His hard work and perseverance did not go unnoticed by his superiors at Aircon, Inc. He garnered multiple company awards including the Mechanic of the Year award, which he earned during his second year, and the coveted Employee of the Year award, which he won after only his third year at the company.

While Ben’s career was advancing, the Good Lord opened another opportunity that would complete Ben as a person. In 1959, while attending St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Ben was introduced to Fe Isabel Cruz, a young Deaconess who was recently assigned to the church. It was undeniable that this was God’s plan as the two soon fell in love and married on January 12, 1960. The happiest year of the couple’s young married life was soon followed by the most heartbreaking year when they lost their first born son, David-Ben, in 1961. But their sorrow was soon replaced by joy at the birth of their second son, BenHur (Benjie) who was born on February 24, 1962. Their lives continued to be a whirlwind of emotions as Ben’s mother-in-law died before Benjie reached the age of one year old. Soon after, Ben moved his family to Navotas, Metro Manila where he worked for a private company in Intramuros in 1962. During this time, Ben and Fe were blessed with two more sons; Beltecezar (Joy) was born on December 7, 1966 and Benjamin III (Bing) was born approximately two years later on April 20, 1968. Fe helped supplement the family’s income by working as a kindergarten teacher, by tutoring students, and by running a small chicken farm business at home. In 1969, Ben found employment at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in Makati where he spent the rest of his time as an air conditioning engineer in the Philippines. While working at DBP, he experienced an economic roller coaster that was dictated primarily by the political powers that controlled the country. Most DBP employees initially profited from bountiful benefits offered by the company but these soon disappeared when the Marcos regime took power and a national martial law was declared. As the country was struck by economic hardships, the Gorospe family also suffered a traumatic loss when Ben’s brother, Orlando, working as a homicide detective, was killed in the line of duty as he was attempting to apprehend car jackers.

In 1984, Ben and Fe started a new chapter in their lives as they left for San Diego, California; a move made possible by a petition submitted by Ben’s brother, Honorio, who was able to join the United States Navy in 1954. This occasion was bittersweet as the couple decided to leave their sons behind so they can establish a stable lifestyle before bringing the rest of the family over. Ben initially found work at Atlas Refrigeration and Air conditioning Company and Fe worked at a convalescent clinic in Chula Vista. A year later, Joy and Bing immigrated to the United States to join Ben and Fe. Not yet complete, the family soon endeavored to settle in the American way of living but foremost in their life was to serve a God who has afforded them so many opportunities. The family soon became active members of the Nestor United Methodist Church under the leadership and shepherding of Pastor Russ Locke. Ben and Fe were members of the church’s choir for many years as well as filling other important posts and positions in the church throughout the years. The Gorospe family became fragmented once again when Bing joined the United States Navy in 1987 and in 1988, Joy followed suit and joined the United States Air Force. Life in the United States was full of possibilities but not without difficulty as Ben found out in 1992 when he was laid off due to the struggling economy in San Diego. He was 61 years old at the time and was uncertain how he can still find employment at this point of his life. But God had other plans for Ben and his family and His blessings can sometimes come in forms we never expected as Ben soon found out. By happenstance, Ben was applying for a job in downtown San Diego when he found out about jobs being available at Hyatt Hotel. He applied and was accepted as an air conditioning engineer; he continued working for the Hyatt Hotel for the next eight years when he was finally forced to retire due to poor health in the year 2000.

Life in San Diego became complete for Ben and his family when his eldest son, Benjie and his grandson Kevin joined them in 2005. Benjie now works for the County of San Diego as an accountant. Ben’s second son, Joy, is still a member of the United States Air Force and now holds the rank of Major. His youngest son, Bing, has retired from the Navy after 24 years of service and is now working for General Dynamics.

Benjamin C. Gorospe Jr. died peacefully in his sleep with his loving wife of 51 years beside him on November 2, 2011 at 11:35 PM. Even though diabetes and heart disease ravaged his body, his indomitable spirit never ceased to focus his efforts towards the betterment of his family’s lives. Every action he took and every sacrifice he made was always executed with one thing in mind: to continually improve the lives of those around him. Ben’s legacy will not be based on how he lived his life but rather on how life will be lived on by those who survive him; may we do him honor by living it the way he did.