Lourdes "Ditas" Villegas, our much beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Wife, passed away peacefully on August 7 th , 2022 in Clermont, FL.

Born Lourdes Bernardita Danao in Manila, Philippines on August 20, 1937, she was the only child of Paula and Antonio Danao, an attorney with the Philippine district attorney's office. She was adoringly raised by her Lola Bit and Tita Luz, along with her mother Polly.  Ditas enjoyed school, attending St. Scholastica's College grade school.  She loved to read as a child while walking to school.  Unfortunately, her father passed away when she was a teenager, so Ditas herself worked during her high school years as a court stenographer with the Pasay City Fiscal office.  She continued to support herself through college. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas.  Her career continued as a secretary at Smith Kline Laboratories in Manila.

In 1962, Ditas was introduced by mutual friends on a blind date to then resident physician, Antonio Villegas, having returned after 6 years of medical residencies in the US. Tony recalls that her laugh was music to his ears. She got him right then and there. They married on February 14, 1963 and moved to Ottawa, Canada for Tony to continue his pathology residency.  Their family started shortly after arrival with the birth of two daughters. After immigrating to the US in 1966 to finish pathology residency at the Bronx Hospital in NY, their son was born in Albany, NY in 1968.  They endured the upstate NY winters for another 7 years in Sidney, NY, where in 1972 when they became US citizens.  Ditas and family settled in Pottstown, PA through Dr. Villegas' retirement in 1996.

During those years, Ditas was a dedicated and patient wife and mother, exhibiting great humility and finesse - she never yelled when she was angry.  She enjoyed running her family's household, ceramics, and sewing her daughters' clothing as well as elegant outfits for herself for special occasions. Ditas was an active participant of the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center Ladies Auxiliary, and Garden, Century and Investment Clubs.

Ditas cherished time with friends, having travelled and cruised through the US, Caribbean, Europe, Asia and South America with friends and family.  Highlights were numerous summer extended family pool party weekends at the Pottstown compound with upwards of 20+ people staying over at the house.

Tony and Ditas moved to Kings Ridge in Clermont FL in 2009 to be closer to their son's young family.  Her second family became the Filipino congregation at Blessed Sacrament Church, where she was an active social and prayer participant until living with Parkinson's Disease started to become challenging.  She became homebound for the last few years but would at times enjoy the connection to far-away family and friends through Facebook, Facetime, and yes...even ZOOM (one benefit from the pandemic).  She passed away peacefully and quietly with family at her side.

We will immensely miss our dearest Wife, Mom, and Grandma. As one friend said, "Her smile was iconic, and she shed happiness wherever she went."  Another mentioned she was "quite a gem of a person…kind, warm, loving, thoughtful, hospitable, and generous with her laughter and smile".  Above all else, she was a treasure and an angel on Earth. And now up in Heaven.

Ditas Villegas is predeceased by her parents, Paula and Antonio Danao.

She is survived by: Husband Dr. Antonio Villegas, Clermont;

Daughter Mary Ellen Villegas Rudel and husband Ted Rudel, Morristown, NJ and Lake George, NY;

Daughter Nancy Villegas, Greenbrae, CA;

Son Raymund Villegas and wife Megan Slate Villegas, Clermont;

Grandchildren Holly Rudel, New Haven CT; Christopher Rudel, Alpharetta, GA; Grace Villegas, and Alexander Villegas, Clermont.

Viewing will be held at Becker Funeral Home, Clermont, FL on Thursday August, 18 th , 2022 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.

Funeral Mass will follow at Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church, Clermont, FL on Thursday August, 18 th , 2022 at 1:00 PM.  Livestream will be available at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwvhnJOb1WpSQFheeFRiLRA/videos

Burial will follow at a later date in Pottstown, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Lourdes Villegas to the Parkinson's Foundation https://www.parkinson.org/