1938
Guillermo
2024
Guillermo Ramos
February 10, 1938 — March 4, 2024
Guillermo Cruz Ramos passed away on Monday, March 4
th
, 2024 at the age of 86 in Bartlett, IL. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ofelia (nee Ipapo) Ramos; his two daughters: Odette (James) Ahn and Joyce (Pedro Serna) Ramos; his four grandchildren Melissa, Amaia, Nerea, and Eneko; and his sibling, Urbana Ramos Ferrer. Preceding his death were his Parents: Cornelio Ramos and Soledad (Cruz) Ramos; Siblings: Teofilo, Lucila, Efigenia, Florentino, Felixberto, Sebastian, and Nepomencena.
He was born 8 out of 9 to Cornelio and Soledad on February 10, 1938, and was named after the patron saint of his date of birth. Born and raised in Pinaod, San Ildefonso Bulacan, Philippines, his family were landowning farmers. When presented with either running the family business or waiting to finish his college education while physically defending the family farm, he chose the latter, completing his Civil Engineering degree from Feati University in 1962. He decided to form his career and life in the United States. It took longer than expected, but he was the first pioneer from his family, immigrating to San Francisco in 1968, paving the way for his siblings, Teofilo and Sebastian.
Guillermo received pointed help from family; he never forgot his debts and always remembered to repay them over and above. He initially found work in various industries within different regions of the country, including helping to build airplane hangars for the US military in SD. He also continued to write letters to the love of his life, Ofelia Padilla Ipapo, who had also immigrated from Meycauayan Bulacan of the Philippines and had settled in the Chicagoland area in 1967. The letters produced a lifelong love, with him asking for her hand via his brothers Florentino and Felixberto as proxy, resulted in marriage at a simple ceremony in Chicago, 1970. Their oldest daughter, Odette, was born soon after. They first made a home in Chicago before moving to Oak Park. They finally settled down in Bartlett, where they had their second daughter, Joyce.
Guillermo had a varied career in the Chicago area working for engineering firms such as Sargent & Lundy, Desman, and Conrad & Associates. He was a true engineer at heart. Some of his works include the gazebo in his abode, designing the family homestead in Pinaod, and designing, building, and completing his family’s crypt in the Philippines. This crypt is the Ramos burial mausoleum for his parents and siblings, and it includes an ingenious gravity-powered washing tool using captured rainwater.
When Guillermo was not working or spending time with his family, he focused on sports that were individualistic and had a high degree of skill required, such as bowling and golf. He enjoyed music, playing with his harmonica and immediately being able to whistle a tune on-key after first hearing it on the radio. He loved cars, celebrating his birthday every year with a trip to the Chicago Auto Show, and tinkering with them: purchasing a new car always meant also buying the corresponding Chilton mechanics guide. His favorite was his beloved 1967 Cougar. He also loved spending time with animals. From his past, he would tell his loved ones about his deep connection with his pet pig and dog (Tong Tong), both of whose lives came to an unfortunate end. He built a ‘condominium’ for wild birds, then using his “dead-eye” slingshot to scare away squirrels from stealing the feed. From more recent times, his meticulous care of his pet birds (Eryck and Pogito) demonstrated that his love for animals was everlasting. Perhaps Guillermo’s respect for animals stems from the idea that they are loyal beings; one could say that loyalty was of utmost importance to him.
Some may say that Guillermo was a very proud man, but had difficulty expressing it to the ones that it would most materially affect. However, his most loved ones, and those who knew him well, understood that what was on the surface was not necessarily the whole truth. He was proud about the life that he had led, and he was truly proud of the legacy he had created through his children and grandchildren. His family will carry that pride with them in his remembrance.
Visitation will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024 from 4 to 8 pm at Countryside Funeral Home, 950 S. Bartlett Rd, Bartlett, IL. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024,10am at Countryside with interment immediately after at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville, IL.
He was born 8 out of 9 to Cornelio and Soledad on February 10, 1938, and was named after the patron saint of his date of birth. Born and raised in Pinaod, San Ildefonso Bulacan, Philippines, his family were landowning farmers. When presented with either running the family business or waiting to finish his college education while physically defending the family farm, he chose the latter, completing his Civil Engineering degree from Feati University in 1962. He decided to form his career and life in the United States. It took longer than expected, but he was the first pioneer from his family, immigrating to San Francisco in 1968, paving the way for his siblings, Teofilo and Sebastian.
Guillermo received pointed help from family; he never forgot his debts and always remembered to repay them over and above. He initially found work in various industries within different regions of the country, including helping to build airplane hangars for the US military in SD. He also continued to write letters to the love of his life, Ofelia Padilla Ipapo, who had also immigrated from Meycauayan Bulacan of the Philippines and had settled in the Chicagoland area in 1967. The letters produced a lifelong love, with him asking for her hand via his brothers Florentino and Felixberto as proxy, resulted in marriage at a simple ceremony in Chicago, 1970. Their oldest daughter, Odette, was born soon after. They first made a home in Chicago before moving to Oak Park. They finally settled down in Bartlett, where they had their second daughter, Joyce.
Guillermo had a varied career in the Chicago area working for engineering firms such as Sargent & Lundy, Desman, and Conrad & Associates. He was a true engineer at heart. Some of his works include the gazebo in his abode, designing the family homestead in Pinaod, and designing, building, and completing his family’s crypt in the Philippines. This crypt is the Ramos burial mausoleum for his parents and siblings, and it includes an ingenious gravity-powered washing tool using captured rainwater.
When Guillermo was not working or spending time with his family, he focused on sports that were individualistic and had a high degree of skill required, such as bowling and golf. He enjoyed music, playing with his harmonica and immediately being able to whistle a tune on-key after first hearing it on the radio. He loved cars, celebrating his birthday every year with a trip to the Chicago Auto Show, and tinkering with them: purchasing a new car always meant also buying the corresponding Chilton mechanics guide. His favorite was his beloved 1967 Cougar. He also loved spending time with animals. From his past, he would tell his loved ones about his deep connection with his pet pig and dog (Tong Tong), both of whose lives came to an unfortunate end. He built a ‘condominium’ for wild birds, then using his “dead-eye” slingshot to scare away squirrels from stealing the feed. From more recent times, his meticulous care of his pet birds (Eryck and Pogito) demonstrated that his love for animals was everlasting. Perhaps Guillermo’s respect for animals stems from the idea that they are loyal beings; one could say that loyalty was of utmost importance to him.
Some may say that Guillermo was a very proud man, but had difficulty expressing it to the ones that it would most materially affect. However, his most loved ones, and those who knew him well, understood that what was on the surface was not necessarily the whole truth. He was proud about the life that he had led, and he was truly proud of the legacy he had created through his children and grandchildren. His family will carry that pride with them in his remembrance.
Visitation will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024 from 4 to 8 pm at Countryside Funeral Home, 950 S. Bartlett Rd, Bartlett, IL. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024,10am at Countryside with interment immediately after at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville, IL.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Guillermo Ramos, please visit our flower store.
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