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Eulogy for Antonio Salgado

EULOGY FOR ANTONIO SALGADO
Delivered 12/6/2008 at St. Paul's Church, Lake Road, Congers, NY

Good morning, everyone. Most of you know me as Anthony. I am number five of the nine children. My sincerest gratitude to all of you for being here today to give respect to Antonio Garcia Salgado, also known as Tony, Ynot, Dad, Kuya, Lolo, and Charles Bronson.

My dad was a person of great character whose values included family-loyalty, respect for one’s word, and a sense of humor. He once shared with my Ate Gil his joy in our family, proud that he had raised his children to support one another and to never have major quarrels over minor issues. And though he was at times a man of few words, he was from an era where one’s word was equal to one’s bond, conveyed in a short and simple truism he gave to me when I was a young man: Anak, the only thing a man has in this world is his word. And of his humor - we’re talking about a guy who, even at the hospital, would joke that everyone knew him as Antonio… as in Antonio Banderas, and would ask if the nurses wanted his autograph.

Next to his widely known playfulness, rather than give attention to the physical pain he endured over the last few years, he focused on staying active with work, strengthening his relationship with God, and continuing to plan the future wellbeing of his family. Not more than two Saturdays ago when I visited Nyack Hospital, my Dad was from his bed organizing bills, figuring out crossword puzzles, and playing his hand at lotto. Smiling and always hopeful, he said, “It would be nice to win before I go.”

“Dad taught me a lot of things,” my Kuya Kahlil says. “I learned how to play backgammon and bowling. However some of the most important things I learned were not apparent until I ventured out and had my own family. That hard work, perseverance, honesty, and responsibility are not common staples in the real world. And for that I am eternally grateful. I had a great mentor and I will forever miss his quick wit, unwavering integrity, and his corny jokes.”

Yes, Antonio Garcia Salgado was a lot of things to many people: loving husband, father, brother, and grandfather. And among his other roles - an expert chess player, a Jeopardy game-show enthusiast, a fearless defender of his siblings, a natural-born comedian, and like a lot of Salgados, an avid karaoke singer, and certainly, the strongest-willed human being I have ever known.

This latter quality is reflected in the meaningful words of one of his favorite karaoke songs originally performed by Frank Sinatra, some lyrics of which I wish to share here:

And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I’ll say it clear,
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain.

I’ve lived a life that’s full.
I’ve traveled each and every highway;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

My dad is a man of many facets, countless dimensions, and everyday, even in these last few days, I will learn some new thing about him from the recollections of his friends and family. May we all remember him dearly and aspire to live a life as full. Thank you again and God bless.

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