Barbara Toledo Cabangun

Barbara Toledo Cabangun, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and faithful daughter of God, passed away peacefully on November 18, 2025. She was born on December 4, 1949, in Isabela, Basilan City, Philippines, to Leandra Manuel Toledo and Antonio Basilio Toledo.

Barbara was raised in Isabela, Philippines alongside her siblings-Lourdes, Isabel, Luvisminda, and Jaime-forming deep family bonds that remained precious to her throughout her life. As a child, she found joy in decorating, a passion that became a lifelong expression of her creativity and warmth.

She began her education at Isabela East Elementary School and continued at Our Lady of Fatima High School, a private Catholic school where her faith blossomed. An active member of the Student Catholic Action, Barbara embraced service and spirituality from early on. She graduated in 1967.

Barbara went on to earn her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Zamboanga Normal College (now Western Mindanao State University) in 1971. She began her career at La Purisima Elementary School in Zamboanga City, where she taught for four years and served as assistant principal during her final year. A natural educator, she tutored children in her community and carried a deep love for teaching throughout her life.

On December 14, 1974, Barbara married the love of her life, Benjamin J. Cabangun, in Zamboanga City. Together they raised four children: Mary Blanche, Macybel, Anthony Benjamin, and Matthew Benjamin. Being a mother-and later a grandmother-was among her greatest joys. Her family was the heart of her life, especially her grandkids Issac, Ethan, Micah, Ila and Pia who she spoiled endlessly.

In 1976, Barbara immigrated to the United States to join her husband, who was serving in the U.S. Navy in Guam. She later continued her career in California, briefly substitute teaching in the Long Beach School District before working for Security Pacific Bank in San Diego. In 1989, she began her long tenure at the San Diego County Tax Collector/Treasury Office, where she remained until her retirement in 2011.

Barbara lived her Catholic faith with devotion and humility. She was a faithful and active parishioner of St. Martha Catholic Church in Murrieta, California, from the church's founding in 1992. She served passionately within the Filipino Catholic Community Ministry, offering her time, energy, and unwavering commitment to parish life. Her faith was the foundation of her daily living-gentle, steadfast, and deeply rooted in love.

Barbara will be remembered for her kindness, her generosity, her joyful spirit, and the comfort she brought to those around her. Her legacy lives on most vibrantly through her children and grandchildren, to whom she devoted her life with boundless love.

She will be dearly missed, yet forever cherished in the hearts of all who knew her.