Teresita Reyes Estrellado—known lovingly as Lola, Mom, Set, Tess, Tessie, and Comadre—passed away peacefully on October 17, 2025, at the age of 82, surrounded by her family.

She was a loving, strong, kind, charitable, and independent woman who devoted her life to her family, her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, her friends, traveling the world, and shopping—though not always in that order.

Tess cherished 57 wonderful years with her husband, Joe Estrellado, and was the proud mother of four sons and their wives, whom she loved as her own daughters: Jose and Tracy, Benji and Marcie, Jon and Sherri, and Bert and Wendy. She adored her eleven grandchildren—Jeremy, Jenna, Jordan, Briana, Trevan, Kailey, Colin, Lee, Troy, Noah, and Ryan—and her great-grandson, Harrison. Each one held a special place in her heart, and in her eyes, each was her favorite.

Her extraordinary and blessed life began in Florida Blanca, Philippines, on October 13, 1942, the eldest child of Benjamin Reyes and Lourdes Isidro. She proudly embraced her role as big sister to six siblings—Adelfo, Manuela, Evangeline, Renato, Tito, and Arturo—and never let them forget she was the eldest.

Tess attended local schools and later Santo Tomas University in Manila, where she met the love of her life, Joe. They married soon after and began their lifelong adventure together.

Her first great adventure beyond the Philippines came when she joined Joe in Saigon during the Vietnam War, bringing along their young family. After several years abroad, they took an even greater leap of faith—immigrating to the United States with their three sons. Their

fourth son was born soon after they arrived in San Francisco, where they made their home in the Bay Area. In time, Tess helped her mother and later all her siblings immigrate as well, reuniting the entire family in their new country.

Tess and Joe eventually settled their roots in Richland, WA where they raised their children and eventually retired in Las Vegas.

Although a career was not her top priority, Tess took pride in every job she held, excelling in roles at Farmer’s Insurance Corp, Exxon Nuclear Hanford Area, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and the FDIC.

Later in life, she pursued higher education, earning a degree in Psychology from Washington State University. Despite being a proud WSU graduate, social media posts revealed her regular appearances at Eastern Washington University tailgates, football games, and at Wild Bill’s Long Bar.

Travel was an integral part of Tess’s life. Whether embarking on an open-ended European adventure with Joe or returning to the Philippines, she explored the world with joy, curiosity, and always a little shopping. From the pyramids of Giza to the rice terraces of the Philippines, from the Yucatán to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, there was no place she wished to see that she didn’t. Her love of travel lives on in her grandchildren—many of whom now share her wanderlust and even live abroad.

Tess never forgot her roots and delighted in sharing Filipino traditions, especially through food. She loved teaching her grandchildren how to make lumpia or roll sushi (not Filipino, but still delicious). “No, you need to roll it like this!” she’d say with a half-laugh, half-sigh.

Tess had an abundance of friends—old and new—and she cherished every one of them. She made everyone feel like they were her best friend because, in her heart, they truly were. Her friendships were often nurtured over long Mah Jong games, whether in Pasco or earlier days in the San Francisco Bay Area, surrounded by family and friends.

She also had a lifelong passion for shopping, especially for shoes and purses. With an impeccable sense of style, Tess could spot a perfect find—whether it came from a bargain bin or straight from Gucci.

Christmas was Tess’s favorite time of year. Her home was always beautifully decorated inside and out, with elaborate Christmas villages and even a dancing Santa to greet guests. Midnight Mass was once a cherished tradition, later replaced by earlier Christmas Eve services as grandchildren arrived. No matter the time, Tess made the holiday magical for everyone.

Faith guided Tess throughout her life. She and Joe were active members of Christ the King Parish in Richland, serving as Eucharistic Ministers and deeply involved in parish life. Their faith extended into the community through the Filipino Community Block Rosary Crusade, which Tess established in Richland, Washington. The group met nightly in October at different family homes to pray the Rosary—a tradition she spread to Kennewick and Pasco and continues more than 40 years later.

Her devotion to her Roman Catholic faith and love of travel took her on many pilgrimages with her sisters Nel and Ging, including to Fátima, Lourdes, Vatican City, Medjugorje, and the Holy Land of Jerusalem.

Tess lived her life fully—with faith, laughter, adventure, and love—and her memory will forever be a blessing to all who knew her.