Mrs. Natividad Pekson Hernandez

New Westminster, BC - Natividad Pekson Hernandez, aged 94, predeceased by her husband Juan Pacia Hernandez, died Saturday, May 7, 2016, after a brief illness. Born January 26, 1922 into a prominent family in the city of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines, Natividad had a varied and interesting life in and about her home town. She was the first woman in her town to own and drive an automobile all at the respectable age of 16! After a crash that scared her, she gave up and forever depended on the local horse-drawn carriages.

Natividad survived amidst the dangers of World War II and the hostile occupation of the Japanese, and throughout it all, so did her love for her beloved husband, Juan. After the war, they settled down to a happy life in Filipino society, and over a couple decades, had six children, Ernesto, Esperanza (Ansing) , Edwin, Eugenio (Gene), Efren, and Eden.

Throughout all that, Natividad had a busy career as a school teacher and guidance counselor until moving to Canada in 1982 with Juan, Efren and Eden to join Edwin and Gene and their new young families. All together, Natividad and Juan's six children would go on to give them over 20 grandchildren, and several great grandchildren to date.

Eventually with all their children grown up, married, and with children, Natividad and Juan retired to a quiet life in their Vancouver apartment, but still very busy with many visits, parties, baby-sitting for friends and family, and helping out with some of the Filipino religious and cultural events in the area.

After her loving husband, Juan, passed away in 2006, she moved in with daughter Eden and family, where she lived a happy but quiet life watching CNN, The Price Is Right, various game shows from the 80's, and reading the gossip magazines and doing numerous word search puzzles to keep her mind sharp, which it was until the very end.

Natividad and her husband always had time to listen to friends in need and help out any way they could, and by that alone has set a wonderful example for their children and many generations to come.