Gloria Tugade Caday

Gloria Tugade Caday, affectionately known to her family as “Auntie Gola,” passed away peacefully in the early morning of Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA. She was the daughter of the late Benito Caday Sr. and Ambrosia Tugade Caday. Originally from Laoag City in the Philippines, Gloria immigrated to the United States as a young woman and became a citizen. Gloria was a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila with a degree in Pharmacy and she also studied at the Far Eastern University, also in Manila. Although she trained and worked in pharmacology while in the Philippines, she changed disciplines while in the US. After a rewarding but demanding career as a certified medical technologist, spanning forty years, she retired to her home in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC. Gloria’s life was centered around her religion, her job, and her family. A devout Catholic, she regularly attended services at St. Matthews Cathedral in Washington, DC, and when she was unable to attend, she watched morning televised services. As a medical technologist working at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, she took pride in her work. She enjoyed family trips to Europe and to the beach, and she loved family celebrations, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas. A fan of both children and cats, she enjoyed welcoming new family members, whether human or feline. She enjoyed cooking, and she was often manipulated into making her famous flan. Her favorite foods were Filipino and Chinese, often accompanied by a Coca-Cola. She loved shopping, especially with family members. Gloria was a very generous and considerate person who never forgot birthdays or other special events. She had a great sense of humor and an animated, upbeat personality. It was always a pleasure to be around her. Gloria was a selfless person, who exhibited the best of Christian values. She will be sorely missed by her sister, Carolina Zialcita; her brother-in-law, Hipolito Zialcita; her sister-in-law, Ruby Caday; her nieces and nephews, Victoria Lakes, Carlito Zialcita, Lilibeth McAlpin, Ann Caday Ward, Christina Caday, Celeste Caday, Benito (Boyet) Caday III, Grace Caday, and Jenny Caday; their spouses; and a host of adoring grandnieces and grandnephews. She was pre-deceased by her beloved brothers Leonides Caday, Antonio Caday, and Benito Caday, Jr.; her sister-in-law, Conchita Caday; and her niece, Irene Jane Madarang.

Gloria Tugade Caday

December 9, 1947 - November 6, 2024