Onofre "Jim" Geminiano

1942 - 2021

GEMINIANO, Onofre "Jim" May 2, 1942 - March 27, 2021 It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Onofre "Jim" Geminiano. Jim passed away peacefully on March 27, at the age of 78. He is survived by his children, Alexa (Gordon) and Chris (Michelle), both in Alberta; beloved grandchildren, Kingston, Xavier, Ellia, and Leilani; siblings, Rosing, Norma and family, in the Philippines, and Max, Linda and family in California; and several nieces and nephews around the world. Jim was predeceased by his dearest wife, Evie, loving son, Nathan, his parents, and siblings, Ninay, Esing, Lydia and Manuel. Born in the Philippines on May 2, 1942, to humble and hardworking parents, Fructuoso Geminiano and Gervacia Martinez, he graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1965, obtaining a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). Two years later, Jim fortuitously found himself starting a new life in Canada, initially working on an animal farm in Langley, BC. Because his DVM from the Philippines was not recognized in Canada, he worked as a research technician at the UBC Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences for five years. At UBC he met his future wife, Evie, a smart, vivacious and beautiful young woman from Indonesia. After they got married in 1970, Evie encouraged Jim to obtain his Canadian DVM degree. In 1973, Jim did just that, graduating from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. They then moved to Victoria, and in 1976, Jim opened the Belmont Langford Veterinary Hospital on Goldstream Ave. They raised two beautiful children, Alexa and Nathan, but tragedy struck in 1993, when Nathan lost his life in a bicycle accident. A devout Catholic, Jim relied on his faith, family and friends to get through the terrible grief. In 1995, Jim and Evie adopted their youngest child, Chris, welcoming him to the family. Over the years, and especially in retirement, Jim loved travelling, going on several cruises and trips to Asia, Europe, and Latin America with Evie and their good friends, Elgie and Tony. In 2011, Jim dealt with the pain of losing Evie, who suffered through a two-year battle with cancer. Vowing to, "live life to the fullest and with no regrets," Jim continued to enjoy annual holidays with his family on trips to Mexico, Hawaii, and Turks and Caicos; and embarked on several adventures, travelling to Machu Picchu in Peru, the Galapagos Islands, Tanzania, Tahiti, and Bora Bora, among others. Despite having major heart surgery in 2018, Jim stayed active, whether being connected with the Filipino community in Victoria, making new friends, or taking up new hobbies later in life, such as learning to speak Spanish, playing the guitar, and cycling. Jim accomplished much in his lifetime, taking pride in the fact that he worked hard for everything he earned, rising from humble beginnings to providing the best life possible for his family. Most of all, he was especially proud of his children and grandchildren. Jim's family would like to thank all of his dearest friends who invited him to countless meals, shared many laughs, and indeed helped him live life to the fullest. Due to COVID restrictions, a small, private memorial service will be held on Friday, April 9 at 11:00 AM PDT. However, the service will be livestreamed and recorded for anyone wishing to celebrate Jim's life, using the following link: https://funeraweb.tv/diffusions/076b614e-9b66-4211-a5e9-62f9d877a2bc. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Jim's memory to your favourite charity. Condolences may be offered to the family at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/victoria-bc/first-memorial-funeral-services/3811 or alexagemini222@gmail.