Nilda Rivera Lepiten

Mrs. Nilda Rivera Lepiten was born in Bongdo, Borbon, Cebu, Philippines on June 5, 1944. She grew up in Bongdo.
She was known as a witty and always curious little kid. Nilda was the third amongst a family of 9 children. She
accomplished a Bachelor's Degree in Education at the University of the Visayas, Cebu, Philippines. Her childhood
memories were of doing chores around the house and helping with the farm. Her favorite clothes to wear were a skirt
going to the farm and showing off her behind then her "Tatay" would ask her to go home instead of helping with the
farm because she grew up in a conservative home where she got away with not doing her chores on the farm. She
was raised with the idea that education is the most important way out of the farm life and for a better future and to
travel the world.
She met the love of her life on a Saturday class in college and later married Rolando Codinera Lepiten in 1970. They
lived together in Matin-aw, Borbon, Cebu, Philippines, raised 2 daughters, Janice and Febia. She was a devoted and
loving mother to Janice and Febia. She retired from teaching after 35 years of public service.
In 2005 after her and her husband both retired from teaching careers they both moved in support of there daughters to
Seattle, WA then to Roseville, CA. She worked to keep busy where she met many new friends and they always
remembered her as kind, loving and funny. She was an inspiration to those around her in so many ways. She was
always giving, helping with whatever and whenever she can.
With 2 grand children; Jasmine Knudson and Santino Rallos, she was called "Lola" and was and will always be
remembered as a loving and kind Grandma 'Lola'. She like many grandparents, enjoyed spoiling them. Living here in
the US, she always kept in touch with her sisters, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends not just in Cebu, Philippines
but through social media, wherever they were in the world. She also cared, loved and treated both Keith and Kristian
as her own grandchildren, raised them they way she did just like her own children. She encouraged them both to do
the best they can.
She was an amazingly kind person who accomplished much, but that is not the legacy she chose to leave behind.
Anybody that knew her, knows that the most important thing in her life was the relationships with the people around
her and with her Lord Jesus Christ.
She is survived by her husband, Rolando C. Lepiten, her two daughters; Janice Knudson and Febia Arias, Son-laws,
Torvald Knudson and Joey Arias and her grandchildren Jasmine Knudson and Santino Rallos. Keith and Kristian
Bongo whom she and Rolando helped raise since they were babies, brothers Arlito Rivera and Proculo Rivera, Jr.,
Vicente Diola, sisters Sonia Pasaol, Teresita Lofranco and Editha Dabalos, sister-in-law Anita Rivera, nephews,
nieces, cousins, relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents Proculo Sr. and Purificacion Rivera, son Jose Lepiten, daughter Maria
Lepiten, brother Albino and Gregory Rivera, brother in-law Augusto Lofranco and nephew Ricardo Pasaol