Virginia D. Canlas Obituary
Virginia D. Canlas, MD age 76, of Passaic, passed away into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, October 1, 2022.
The third of Virgilio and Mercedes (Dimalanta) Canlas' four children, Virginia was born and raised in the city of Manila in the Philippines. Her father was a physician whose desire was for his son Renaldo to follow in his footsteps. When Renaldo learned that this was not God's calling for his life, Virginia came forward to tell her father that she would like to become a doctor. After graduating from Abad Santos High School, she attended Far Eastern University in Manila where she earned her undergraduate degree and served her internship to become a physician. In 1970, Virginia received her license to practice medicine and she was assigned by the Philippine government to the province of Pampanga as a general practitioner with a specialty in OBGYN.
Dr. Canlas practiced medicine in the Philippines until 1980 when, at the encouragement of her parents and two of her siblings, she joined them in the United States to be closer to her family and to enjoy all the opportunities that America offered. After taking some master courses in public health at Columbia University, Virginia took a position with the New York Department of Health.
Virginia, also affectionately known as Gie, held a deep and abiding faith in God. Sensing God's call to use her medical skills for. His glory, she left her current position to go work for an organization called World Vision, an international partnership of Christians whose mission is to work with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice, and be witnesses to the good news of the Kingdom of God. Over the course of several years with World Vision, Dr. Canlas served as a general practitioner, providing medical assistance in Cambodia, Romania, Laos and on the continent of Africa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Looking back on that experience, Gie was so grateful to the Lord for the opportunity to help those who otherwise would have had no hope. She eventually returned to the United States and worked at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth before fully retiring in 2015.
In addition to her love of travel through World Vision, Gie enjoyed the simple daily experiences of life like so many of us do. She kept her mind sharp by regularly watching Jeopardy and, having spent time in Los Angeles, she took a liking to watching Los Angeles Lakers games on TV. She was an accomplished pianist who loved to play the sacred hymns of the faith and was a bit of a fashionista who had just as much fun shopping for nice clothes as she did wearing them. Gie loved dining out, with favorite restaurants being East Japanese Restaurant in Teaneck, I-Hop in Clifton, and, of course, any restaurant that served delicious ethnic Philippine foods.
Next to her faith in the Lord, Gie's family and extended church family at Bible Church International in Garfield (now in Randolph) were most dear to her. After her father's passing, Gie eventually moved home to provide loving care for her mother Mercedes in Passaic. Somewhat shy, Gie was happy for her times of solitude but she also loved the company of her sisters, brother, nieces and nephews. She was a gentle and generous soul and, while her family mourns the loss of Gie, they are thankful to God for her life and look forward to being reunited with her in God's glorious presence.
Virginia was the loving sister of: Zenaida Sakdalan and husband Bonifacio of Pequannock, Leticia Abad and husband Antonio of Southbury, CT., and Renaldo Canlas and wife Ines of Flanders, NJ; and dearest aunt of: Dennis Sakdalan and wife Rachel of Pompton Plains, Ronald Sakdalan and wife Christine of Rockaway, Paul Sakdalan and wife Lorelie of Barnegat, Stacy Ann Canlas of Flanders, John Michael Canlas and wife Kimberly of New York City, Lea McNamara and husband Glen of Southbury, CT, Michelle Frost and husband Brad of Chicago, IL, and Anthony Abad and wife Cate of Wyckoff.
Family and friends are invited to gather for Memorial Visitation at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday October 8, 2022 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
A Funeral Service will immediately follow the time of visitation and begin in the funeral home at 4:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Virginia's name are asked to consider: World Vision P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063.
