Leonora Dizon "Nora" Tugade

Leonora Dizon Tugade, lovingly known as "Nora", passed away on July 23rd, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, where she had been residing for the past 45 years.

She was born on October 18th, 1933, in Lingayen, Pangasinan in the Philippines. Nora was the only girl out of six children, with three older brothers and two younger ones. She and her siblings lived through the harrowing years of WWII, and a story she liked to tell was how she was held as a small child by Gen. Douglas MacArthur during his triumphant return to the Philippines. She studied chemistry in college, later becoming a chemistry teacher. She decided to put her career aside when she met the love of her life, Tommy Tugade, a US Navy sailor from Alaminos, Pangasinan, just west of her hometown. They wed in Alaminos on March 14th, 1966 and began their whirlwind adventure across the globe with duty stations in Crane, Indiana—the same state where Nora’s younger brother, Florencio Dizon, would become a successful doctor; Fall River, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island—where their first son, Rodney, would be born; Honolulu, Hawaii—where their youngest son, Richard would be born; Misawa, Japan; and Key West, Florida—where Tommy retired and the family settled several miles north of, in Orlando.

Nora loved her immediate and extended family, both near and far, often taking her boys on a two-day bus ride from Key West to New Albany, Indiana to visit her brother Flor, his wife Betty, and their kids Brian and Gemmalyn. She continued to send back support to her relatives in the Philippines, even to her last days. She was a loving, kind, and generous soul who never angered or judged. Her devotion to God and helping others remained with her for her whole life, and she was a tremendously strong and big-hearted person, regardless of her small stature. She loved to celebrate with friends and family with good food and especially sweets. She was a dedicated parishioner of her church, St. Isaac Jogues, and attended mass regularly, prayed the rosary daily, and donated generously to several charities. She loved the many dogs she had as pets over the years, including cooking their food from scratch. They included the family’s first dog, Isabel, followed by Lady, Princess, Girlie, Winnie, Daisy, and Peekaboo among others, as well as her cat, Meow Meow. Nora loved to grow beautiful flowers, including all colors and shades of roses, hibiscus, and lilies, some of which you can still see today at the Tugade house. On weekly phone calls, she always remembered to say ‘Hello’ to and the names of our wives, fiancés, girlfriends, and housemates, as well as our pets’ names. We will miss her smile, her laughter, her colorful t-shirts, her spunkiness, the sound of her voice when she called out for her pets, watching Jeopardy with her, and the way she would sometimes mispronounce things. Overall, we will miss her for her bright light and her unconditional love.

She is survived by her husband, Tommy C. Tugade; her sons Rodney ‘Edward’ Tugade (Catherine Tugade) and Richard D. Tugade; her brother Marcelino M. Dizon; her nephew, Brian M. Dizon (Gracita T. Dizon), her niece, Gemmalyn M. Dizon; her grandchildren Remington ‘Eli’ Tugade and Reese Tugade; as well as her dear friends Cora, Maria, Gi Gi, Sonia, Mary, Gelyn, Sol, and Tom. And don’t forget her beloved cat, Meow.

Services

Please say your final goodbyes to Nora and pay your last respects with a visitation on Friday, August 9, from 5 pm to 8 pm with vigil prayers within that timeframe, at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions East Orlando Chapel, 895 S Goldenrod Rd. Orlando, FL 32822.

Please join us to honor and celebrate Nora’s life with a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, August 10, from 1 pm to 2 pm, at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church, 4301 S Chickasaw Trail, Orlando, FL 32829, followed by her internment at Greenwood Cemetery, 1603 Greenwood Street, Replat #12, Orlando, FL 32801.

If you have any questions about any of the services above or would like to send sympathy flowers, please reach out to Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions East Orlando at 407-277-4227.


Charity

If you would like to make a donation to an organization that was dear to Nora’s heart, please make a gift to any of the charities below in memory of her:
• St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church
• Mary Knoll
• Orlando Union Rescue Mission
• The March of Dimes
• Guiding Eyes for the Blind
• Pet Alliance Orlando
• The American Red Cross
• Boys Town
• Food for the Poor
• Easter Seals


Thank you and God Bless Nora.

To share your memories of Nora or to leave a special message of condolence for her family, please visit the guestbook below.