Fortunato Ubias Macadangdang

Fortunato ‘Mac’ Ubias Macadangdang
October 24th, 1936 - May 14th, 2022

Fortunato Macadangdang died peacefully at his home in Madera, CA with his six sons at his side. He is preceded in death by Priscilla Macadangdang, his spouse of 53 years. Fortunato is survived by his sons Dwayne Macadangdang and spouse Ruth; Kurt Macadangdang and spouse Mia; Todd Macadangdang and spouse Ellen; Lyle Macadangdang and spouse Selina; Mark Macadangdang, James Macadangdang and spouse Chelsea.

Included in his large family are his grandchildren Joel Macadangdang and spouse Brittany; Audra Villagomez and spouse Jesse; Kyle Macadangdang; Justin Macadangdang and spouse Kiana; Taryn Wright and spouse Cody; Tasha Kawal and spouse Brian; Evan Macadangdang, Connor Macadangdang, Hailey Crawford, Adrian Macadangdang, Emorey Macadangdang-Drier, Jaden Macadangdang, Mason Macadangdang, Juliet Macadangdang, Roman Macadangdang and his great-grandchildren Hannah Macadangdang, Joshua Macadangdang, and Rohan Kawal.

He is also survived by his siblings Mericruz Macadangdang DeRoetth, Lina D. Ubias De La Rosa and spouse Damaso; niece Veronica Dill, spouse Stephen and children Lorin and Alayna; nephew Jason Code, spouse Lori and children Heather and Ryan; nephew John de la Rosa; Niece Mary (Molly) Surdilla, spouse Jeffery and children Madeline, Abigail, and Dominic; niece Ann Legaspi and spouse Ernesto.

Mac was born on October 24, 1936, in Cabugao, Mt. Province Luzon in the northern part of the Philippine Islands. He was the only son of Mauro and Gabriela Macadangdang. During the Japanese occupation of World War II, his family struggled to survive as they constantly moved to avoid capture. After the war ended, his father sought a better life for his family and sailed to Hawaii seeking work with other laborers. Two months later in June of 1946, Mac and his mother Gabriela and sister Mericruz boarded the SS Marine Falcon for Hawaii where the family was finally reunited on the small island of Lanai.

Although he never attended school, Mac was placed in the third grade and worked hard to fit in as he learned to speak English. Since both his parents worked in the pineapple fields, Mac had many duties including caring for his sister, raising chickens, and shining shoes on the weekends for the cockfighting crowds. In 1951 Mac left Lanai to attend Lahainaluna High School on Maui. It was an all-male boarding school which gave him structure, discipline, and an opportunity to make close friendships. He continued his hard-working ways by charging classmates for haircuts and picking pineapples on Lanai during the summers.

Mac eventually left for the mainland and attended San Jose State University in California where he met the love of his life, Priscilla Lydia Morales, who was born in Kohala, Hawaii. They fell deeply in love and were married on February 4, 1961. Their family soon grew as sons Dwayne, Kurt, Todd, and Lyle were born. With a deep sense of responsibility to provide for his growing family, Mac decided to complete his education and moved his family to Provo, Utah where he graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in social work. It was in Utah that Priscilla studied the Bible and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1970. The family moved back to California and in 1971 purchased their first home in San Jose. It was at 348 Arco Court that their last two sons, Mark and James were born. Now as a family of eight, Mac and Priscilla grew deep roots and developed life-long friendships with many families in the congregation. With Priscilla’s support, Mac continued his education and earned a master's degree in social work from San Jose State University. Shortly after, he started a 29-year career as a counselor for Foothill Junior College in Los Altos, California.

    Mac wanted his sons to share his childhood island experience, so when the first four boys were old enough to acquire a work permit, he sent them to Lanai to work a summer in the humid pineapple fields as he did in his youth. He also took the family on yearly trips to Lake Tahoe where he enjoyed hiking, crawdad hunting, fishing, swimming and playing football on the beach with his sons and grandsons. Mac also enjoyed sharing his Hawaiian culture with his family and friends. He hosted many luaus that consisted of entertainment, island food that included an authentic underground roasted pig for all to enjoy. He had a generous spirit and a hospitable heart for everyone.

As their family grew, Mac was deeply impressed by the Christian values that Priscilla had instilled in their boys while growing up. In time Mac also studied the Bible, and on December 30, 1978, was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. His focus now shifted to caring for the spiritual needs of his family and serving his God, Jehovah. He was eventually appointed a congregation elder in 1992, caring for the spiritual needs of his spiritual family. Mac and Priscilla’s family expanded as their sons began families of their own. So, when Mac retired from Foothill College, he and Priscilla moved to Madera, CA in 2001 to be close to their grandchildren. Mac loved to preach to others and teach them about the blessings of God’s Kingdom. He was appointed a regular pioneer (full time evangelizer) in 2006 and was involved in public witnessing at Madera Community College, organized Bible reading sessions at a rest home, and conducted Bible studies with inmates at the Madera County prison. Mac continued to display his evangelizing spirit within his circumstances and limits up to his death.

Mac lost his best friend and dearest love when Priscilla fell asleep in death on December 10, 2014. He found comfort in his family, congregation, ministry, and faith. His hope of seeing Priscilla again, when Jehovah uses his son Jesus to resurrect her to life in paradise, was constantly before him. Mac fell asleep in death on May 14, 2022, after battling prostate cancer. The Bible promises, “Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out…” (John 5:28,29) Now they are both safe in God’s memory until that wonderful day.

Our hearts ache at losing such a treasure of a man. Mac’s example as a father, spiritual man, and evangelizer had a profound effect on others but especially on his family. Many of his sons and grandsons serve as elders, working hard to care for their spiritual brothers and sisters. Many of his sons and grandchildren have served or are currently serving as regular pioneers, both in the English and in foreign fields. All in his family work hard to imitate his wonderful qualities of hospitality, generosity, patience, zeal for the ministry, compassion for the disadvantaged, and love for God. Mac will be missed by all.