Romeo Molina Mariano

Romeo Molina Mariano (October 15, 1937 - October 6, 2025) passed away peacefully in Cary, North Carolina. He was born in Cabanatuan, Province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. His father, Francisco Mariano, served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines during World War II and died shortly thereafter. His mother, Guillerma Molina Mariano, subsequently raised a family of 6 children, living off the farmland. Romeo tended the carabaos (water buffaloes) while studying at Cuyapo High School. His big break from life on the farm came when his cousin notified him of an office job opening in Manila. There, Romeo climbed the ranks from entry level clerk at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to senior-level Executive Accountant. He sent money back home to his mother and siblings and paid his own way through night school, completing a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree and a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of the East in Manila. He was inducted by the Philippine Supreme Court into the Philippine Bar in 1967 and he continued at GSIS as Attorney at Law.
It was in Manila where Romeo met the love of his life, Pacita Latina Blas, an ICU nurse working at the University of the Philippines General Hospital. After a years-long courtship, they married in April 1961. With four young children, they immigrated in 1970 to the United States, where Pacita worked as a neonatal ICU nurse at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Los Angeles. In California, Romeo worked in the fields of insurance, real estate and the U.S. Postal Service. Romeo was a devoted husband and father, proud to support his wife and family. He emphasized the importance of education. He praised the professional accomplishments of his children, who became nurses and doctors. Throughout his life, Romeo constantly sent money to the Philippines to fund the education for countless family members who otherwise could not afford to go to school.
Romeo had an exuberant, confident, and happy demeanor. While he never had formal musical training, he loved music and singing. The Mariano household was always filled with music, and two of his children completed college degrees in music before entering the medical field. Romeo loved to dance. Once their children were grown and out of the house, Romeo and Pacita took up ballroom dancing, and they continued their romance and their passion for life together until her passing in 2017. Romeo moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2018. He continued to bring joy to people with his pleasant singing of favorite songs, his kind words and sincere gratitude to everyone he encountered, and his persistently gentle soul.
Romeo is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 56 years, Pacita Blas Mariano, and four siblings: Francisco Jr., Nathaniel, Letitia and Elizabeth.
Romeo is survived by four children: Romeo Blas Mariano (Paulette), Regina Harbour (Christopher), Roy Blas Mariano (Juanita), and Rowena Blas Mariano (Jonathan Lindsey); his youngest sister Francisca Trent (Lee), and 12 grandchildren: Erika, Blair, Christopher, Michael, George, John, Matthew, William, Madison, Quenya, Maclovio and Linus.
A funeral mass and celebration of life will take place at Saint Raphael Catholic Church, 5801 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC 27609, on October 23, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Lymphoma Research Foundation or the American Cancer Society are appreciated.