PORTSMOUTH—Felicidad "Tina" Clemencia Gianan Gonzales, 97, passed away July 29, 2021. She was born on November 23, 1923, in San Andres, Catanduanes, Philippines, to the late Selso Gianan and Paz Marino Gianan. She was the seventh of ten children.

As a young woman, Tina moved to Manila to become a baby nurse. In 1955, she was hired by an American family, the Rosses, to care for their infant son, Colin. Little did anyone realize the relationship that would ensue. When the Rosses moved in 1958 from the Philippines to Liverpool, England, Tina went with them, launching what would become a life of travel and living abroad. In Liverpool, Tina welcomed two more Rosse babies: Gray and Lesley. Tina moved with the Rosses to London in 1962, to Orange, Virginia, in 1966, and to Washington, DC, in 1967. In 1970, she married Benigno Gonzales, and moved to Portsmouth, Virginia. She became stepmother to Benigno's son, Butch, and later a grandmother to Butch's son, Toby.

Even after her marriage, Tina remained an integral part of the Rosse family. Known as "Lala" to the Rosses, she enjoyed regular visits through the years, and never missed an important family event. As the three Rosse children married and had children of their own, Lala poured her love into another generation of children. She attended their christenings, countless birthday parties, soccer games, tennis matches, school plays and concerts, school "grandparent days," graduations, and holidays too numerous to mention. She enjoyed trips with the family to the Outer Banks, Oregon, Jamaica, and Hawaii.

Her devotion to her grandchildren was endless. How she loved to take them to the swings at the park, the ice cream shop, and dress shopping at Dillard's. She was known to play a mean game of cards and never arrived for a visit without a copious supply of egg rolls. At an early age her grandchildren developed a taste for adobo, pancit, and fish sauce.

In her final years, she also enjoyed lengthy visits at the home of Mrs. Allen Rosse Ohrstrom, aka "Moot," her former employer. As the years wore on, the two elderly ladies became like sisters. They had a deep and abiding love for one another based on an intimate shared history spanning over six decades. She also enjoyed a close relationship with her former employer Robert "Robby" Rosse until he passed in 2012. Robby and Tina loved to tease one another; his pet name for her was "the Thrilla from Manila."

Tina was always happiest when she was busy helping to run a household, and nurturing and caring for children. She watered and nursed her children and grandchildren along like the little seedlings and saplings they were. Her focus was being an abundant fountain of love and affection, shaping and imprinting their young lives. It provided them with a foundation built on unconditional love and acceptance.

Her love sprang from a heart that was nourished by her strong Catholic faith and her love of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Mother, and all the angels and saints. She prayed the rosary every day. She was an active member of Saint Therese Church and the Church of San Lorenzo in her local community in Virginia, as well as an ardent supporter of her hometown parish church St. Andrew in Calolbon, Philippines, as well as Penefrancia Church in Naga City in Bicol, Philippines.

Tina was perpetually young at heart. Everyone who met her, young or old, fell under her love spell, enchanted by her purity of heart, her ready smile, her easy laughter, and her innate goodness, which oozed from every pore. She was always ready to lend a hand to friends and family in need, and always uplifted and inspired others with her positive and optimistic view of life, no matter the circumstances.

Tina had an innate sense of fashion and enjoyed dressing up. She loved parties, dancing, cooking, church functions, and casinos, too! She enjoyed countless travels through the years, including trips with her church group to the Holy Land, Lourdes, and Fatima.

While Tina lived abroad from her home country for the majority of her life, she made regular trips to the Philippines to visit her large and loving family. She outlived all her siblings but was always welcomed by a throng of adoring nieces and nephews, and their children. She loved to stay at her nephew Jose Samonte's home in Quezon City, and to vacation in her home province of Calolbon attending all the festivities of Holy Week in the spring, or the weeklong celebration of her town's patron saint in the fall.

Tina knew how to enjoy life. Just weeks before she passed, the five children of her brother Zoilo flew from their homes in LA and Texas for one last reunion with their Auntie.  Despite her terminal cancer diagnosis, Tina did not want to sit at home, so Lolita, Ellen, Salve, Minda and Romy obliged by taking her to Virginia Beach, to restaurants, and even the MGM casino in Maryland! Tina had a thirst for life, and she drank it in until the very end.

Tina is predeceased by her parents, Selso and Paz; her siblings Vicente, Zoilo, Milanio, Purificacion, Aurora, Delfin, Ernesto, Lucenia, and Anacorita; her niece Violy; her nephew Rafael; and her husband, Benigno.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews Arturo, Celestino, Lolita, Ellen, Salve, Minda, Romy, Mauro, Raul, Jose, Elena, Flordiliza, Cecilia, Gloria, Antonieta, Jun, Carlos, Sammy, Dina, and Catherine; her children Butch Gonzales, Colin Rosse and his wife Andrea, Gray Rosse and his wife Caroline, Lesley Rosse Foster and her husband Dennis; and eight grandchildren: Toby Gonzales, Robert Rosse, Emma Rosse, India Rosse, Lacy Rosse, Elle Rosse, Jansen Foster, and Meg Foster.

The extended family is grateful for the compassionate care Tina received at home in her final months provided by her loving son Butch, nurses Lili and Valencia of Kindred Hospice, and, in Tina's final week, her daughter Lesley.

A Liturgy of the Resurrection will be celebrated 1:00 p.m. Thursday, August 5, at the Church of St. Therese, 4137 Portsmouth Blvd., Chesapeake. The Mass will be livestreamed here. A viewing of the body will be held in a side chapel at St. Therese from noon to 1:00, prior to Mass. Burial will take place the following day in Orange, VA, in the Rosses' family cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Operation Smile and the Church of St. Therese. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.