Evangeline (“Vangie”) B. Gabriel, age 71, of Hayward, CA, died on September 12, 2025 in the loving presence of her family. She was born September 20, 1953 in Laoag City, Philippines to the late Juan Topinio and Emilia Baraoidan Gabriel.
Known for her warmth, generosity, and compassion, Vangie worked as a critical care nurse for more than 40 years, at San Jose Medical Center (1978-2004) and San Jose Regional Medical Center (2004-2018). After graduating Ilocos Norte National High School in 1970, she attended the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Nursing in Quezon City (class of 1975) and after coming to the United States in the late 1970s, she completed her BSN at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1990.
Vangie delighted in her family, friends, and community. She was an active parishioner of All Saints Catholic Church in Hayward & St. Felicitas Catholic Church in San Leandro, participating in the Filipino American Ministry (ASFAM), the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Ministry, which provides meals to the local unhoused and underserved community of Hayward, and the Catholic Daughters of America (Court 2400). She was extremely active in various community organizations and social groups; a regular participant at local mahjong games, line dancing, ballroom dancing, senior centers, and jazzercise/fitness groups. However with all her community outreach her proudest achievement was the establishment of 3 full scholarship grants for students of the University of the Philippines, College of Nursing through the UP Nursing Alumni Association (Western Region), which she held the presidency in for a term in 2003.
Friends and family will especially miss her laugh, her humor, her kindness, and her sense of adventure. She was passionate about her faith, her vocation, the arts, and most of all traveling. Vangie spent her life crossing off destinations from her travel bucket list. A trip to the Holy Land and Egypt where she climbed Mt. Sinai at sunrise, a pilgrimage to Lourdes, a trip with her daughter to Vienna on New Year’s Eve, a New England family “girls trip” to see the fall colors, river cruises down the Seine and Danube River, and expeditions to chase the northern lights in Norway and Iceland are just a few of the adventures she went on.
Vangie is survived by her daughter Gwendolyn Gerard (née Ramos), son-in-law Ryan Gerard; siblings Victor Gabriel, Juan Gabriel Jr., Elfran (Bob) Gabriel, and Sonia Jacob (née Gabriel). She was the proud “Auntie” of Edgar Gabriel, Gregory Gabriel, Michael Gabriel, Joseph Gabriel, Bryan Gabriel, Samuel Gabriel, Marynoelyn Jacob-Oviatt, Cesar Jacob Jr, Emille Gabriel, Princess Victoria Gabriel, and her beloved grand-nieces and nephews.
Visitation and vigil will be held on Oct. 1-2, 2025 from 4:45pm-8pm at Sorensen Chapel, 1140 BStreet, Hayward, CA 94541.
Funeral Mass will be held on Oct. 3, 2025 at 10:30am at All Saints Catholic Church, 22824 2nd Street, Hayward, CA 94541.
