Dates
Nenette Penafiel ended her earthly pilgrimage at the age of 68 to enter into the presence of her loving Creator on June 7, 2025 on the Vigil of Pentecost during the Jubilee Year of Hope. She was preceded in death by both parents and an older brother. She is survived by 3 older siblings, one nephew Michael Premsrirat and a niece Michelle Collins, both of Los Angeles.
Viewing will be from 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM on Thursday, June 12, 2025 at Robert Massie Riverside Chapel with a rosary being said at 6:00 PM. Mass will be 10:00 AM on Friday, June 13, 2025 at Cathedral Church of Sacred Heart with Monsignor Larry Droll, officiating. Burial will follow in Calvary Catholic Cemetery under the direction of Robert Massie Funeral Home.
Baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Faith shortly after her birth on July 20, 1956 , her parents Lorenzo & Corazon Penafiel ensured a firm faith foundation alongside her siblings Tessie Penafiel, 79 of Los Angeles, brother Antonio Penafiel of Houston age 39 at the time of his untimely demise in 1987, Roland Penafiel age 73 of San Angelo and formerly of Las Vegas, Nevada and Sally Penafiel age 71, formerly of Harlingen, Texas and now a San Angelo resident since 2023.
Enrolled at Colegio de La Consolacion in Manila run by the Augustinian nuns, there she took her studies from grade school well onto high school until her departure to the US in August 1974. She finished her last 2 years at Hoover High School in San Diego, CA where the oldest sister was living at that time. Nenette earned her BS in Home Economics with a minor in Child Psychology from Texas Tech University in 1983. Sor Imaculada, OSA most assuredly influenced her career choice as she was one of her favorite teachers who taught Home Economics. She had many cherished memories under her tutelage which enculcated in her the great lesson of making the right choices or suffering the consequences. This she passed on to her little charges at ACS.
Looking back at her many fond memories of teaching at both the public and private sectors, the thought of baking a fresh batch of cookies - new minds and hearts to mold with those tots entrusted to her each time a new school year began - brought her much joy. For over a decade at Angelo Catholic School from where she retired in 2023, she often recalled her batches of cookies with great delight especially when she bumped into them around town ever so often. She relished the thought that the loving care she put into the mix truly made a big difference in the batch. All those she worked with but most especially the parents of those whom she taught through the years can attest to that. Pilgrimages to Marian Shrines of OL Guadalupe, Medjugore, Lourdes and Fatima were among her most cherished memories. La Virgencita, Gospa and Mama Mary where her terms of endearment to Our Mother who loves us all. She imparted this knowledge to her little charges at ACS. By instilling this, she had hoped that it would spread the message in their own families and beyond
Among the activities and ministries, she was involved in were The Cursillo, ACTS Retreats, the Magnificat and the Adult Faith classes at Holy Angels. Nenette delighted some of those gatherings with her culinary treats. Most of all, the one dearest to her heart was the one hour she spent with the Eucharistic Lord on First Fridays at Holy Angels when she could and every Saturday, her Holy Hour at St. Margaret's. This was the ultimate source of her strength and final perseverance; not to give in to fear but to lean more on her Faith. For three and a half years, she fought that stupendous battle caused by her terminal illness. She fought it fiercely and zealously with all the graces and blessings she received from living out a sacramental life. After watching the Carlos Acutis movie recently, she said that if the Eucharist is the Highway to Heaven, then surely each Rosary prayed is the rest stop along the way! She was faithful to the daily recitation of the Rosary even zealously praying all 4 mysteries as her illness progressed when she had less time and energy for temporal concerns.
Nenette will always have a special place in our hearts that now are heavy with grief because of her absence. Having had this blessed assurance that our lives are like a journey, she was graced to live it to the fullest with what she had. Her pilgrim journey now ended, we begin ours after her own example.
Requiescat in pace, Nenette!