Eulogy of my Father : Renato Jugo

 

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

I want to thank everyone for coming today to celebrate the life of my Father Renato Jugo.

Throughout my Fathers life he wore many hats. From Bike messenger, to Navy Corpsman, pharmacy technician, and musician. But my favorite role that he played was that of Dad.

At 5 foot 7 inches he was a lion of man in my eyes. Powerful, protective and fierce. Some of you may not know that my father was royalty. He dominated and was king of the basketball court at our neighborhood park. Everyday after driving an hour and a half from Vallejo to Roseville he would get changed, grab his basketball and told me to come with him. We walked a few blocks and he would play. Sometimes I played too. We’d shoot around and play horse. My father was never intimidated on the basketball court. He challenged anyone and everyone that could. He knew no one could beat him. I grew up seeing this confidence.

 My father had a wonderful career in the Navy. One that he was most proud of. One story that he loved to tell over and over was that he was the first Filipino to get a 100% on the pharmacology formulary exam. He would brag that it wasn’t just multiple choice. He had to write in the answers.

Des lor rat ti dine

Hydroxy chloro qwin

Or sulfa methax a zole tri methro prim

He was so proud about getting 100% on the spelling.

I remember sitting across from him at the kitchen table. I would do my homework and he would pour over his Navy books. Reading and studying. I grew up  witnessing his tenacity and perseverance.

Music was my Dad’s passion. He was so talented. Which is quite the understatement. He could sing, play guitar, play the harmonica, and of course the beloved piano. I wasn’t born musically inclined like my brother and my father. But music was a big part of my life. I grew up listening to him play on the piano every night and morning. We discussed in depth every Beatles song and their progression and growth as a band. We went to jazz concerts, he tried to teach me how to play the bass, he taught me terms like syncopation, arpeggio, major, minor and augmented chords. He loved to make music. I grew up seeing his greatness and mastery of the keys.

He brought so much joy to peoples lives through his music. So many concerts in the parks, birthdays, quinceneras, Christmas’s and Cinco De mayo’s. He used his talent generously as God intended.

When we hear the term Love of my Life… you don’t often think of your parent. But my father was the greatest love of my life.

He taught me so much. He taught me how to be a fighter, a warrior. To stand vigilant in the face of adversity. To never back down. But most of all to be proud. To be proud to be Filipino and most of all proud to be a Jugo.

Dad, you are the man I compare all men to. You were my protector all the way to the end. I am forever grateful for your love. Thank you for being my Dad.

In honor of my Father, please join me in a moment of silence as we listen to him play what a wonderful world one last time.

Josanne916 · Wonderful World