Melvina Ramos Serate

March 26, 1937 – June 24, 2026

Melvina Ramos Serate, loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2026, at the age of 89.

Born in Solano, Nueva Viscaya, Philippines, Melvina was the eldest of nine children. After graduating from the University of the Philippines, she spent several years as a Christian missionary in Greece. Her work with the local villagers was so meaningful that she was featured in a national magazine at the time. She also traveled to various European countries during this period, spreading her faith through her warmth and gregarious spirit.

In 1963, she married Dr. Tersito Serate, and together they relocated in 1966 to start a new life in the United States. They followed his medical career through New York, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia, welcoming four sons along the way. In 1980, the couple settled permanently in Oxnard, California.

For more than four decades, their Oxnard home became the center of family gatherings. Melvina made lasting memories for her family there, from making homemade beignets to asking her grandkids to harvest fruit from her backyard garden. She once shared that family gatherings brought so much life to her house, yet it was truly her warmth and love during these times that were the energy of every get‑together.

Although she spent most of her life in California, Melvina remained close with relatives in the Philippines. She kept in touch with her eight younger siblings and their families and always encouraged them to achieve their goals through education. In her later years, she offered monetary scholarships to family members so they could complete their studies in the Philippines and grow closer to realizing their dreams.

Melvina is survived by her husband of 62 years, Tersito; their four sons: Robert (Lester), William, Richard, and Henry; daughters‑in‑law: Cerese, Magnolia, and Angela; ten grandchildren; and many relatives around the world.

Melvina leaves behind a legacy defined by faith, fellowship, and family. She will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know her.