Rhodora Comendador - Obituary

a. Rhodora “Rhody” Collantes Comendador passed away on April 18, 2022, two months shy of her 84th birthday. She was born in Catmon, Cebu, The Philippines, one of the first of two sets of twin girls born to Jose Collantes and Felicidad Orlanes. After her widowed mother remarried to Jesus Cavada, Sr., Rhody grew up in a blended family of 12 siblings. Rhody attended Cebu Normal School and then St. Theresa’s College. She married Vicente Comendador and she bore three children. She managed a travel agency in Cebu City, which seeded a love of travel in both her daughters. Rhody and her two daughters immigrated to California in 1987 and she became a naturalized U.S. citizen nine years later. She worked for the State of California until she retired. Rhody enjoyed spending time with her large extended family, attending social and cultural events within the Filipino community, and maintaining a strong Catholic faith. After retirement, she traveled overseas on visits to the Philippines and on religious pilgrimages to Israel and Italy, and she lived in North Carolina and Virginia. Rhody is survived by her daughters, Carmel Comendador of Oxon Hill, MD and Vikki Cox (Mitch Axtell) of Concord, NH; grandsons Dorrein Cox of San Antonio, TX and D’Juan Cox (Kaitlynne) of Lacey, WA; and great-granchildren Nora, Leilani, and Lennox. Rhody will be missed as a beloved sister to Fe Collantes Musgrave, Virginia Cavada Weaver (Scott), Virgil Cavada (Onadine), Sincletica Cavada Abellana, Ursicina Cavada Espiloy, Julia Cavada Lupascu, and Corazon Cavada Manticajon. Rhody will be missed as a loving and caring aunt to Kristian, Ryan, Melanie, Joseph and many more Cavada nephews and nieces. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Columba Catholic Church, 7800 Livingston Road, Oxon Hill, MD 20745. Rhody will be interred at Queen of the Valley Catholic Cemetery in Rowland Heights, CA at a later date.