Amelita Gonzalez Cajiuat's Obituary
Amelita Gonzalez Cajiuat, born on May 12, 1930 in Bulacan, Philippines, was the youngest of nine children. She passed away April 18. She graduated from Harris Memorial School with an associate degree. She received her BS in SW, (magna cum laude) and MS in SW, both from Phil. Women’s University. As a deaconess student, her gift for conducting bloomed, forming choirs and traveling to other churches to perform concerts. Choir members of her church choirs have gone on to conduct their own church choirs due to her tutelage. In 1954 she married Rev. Eduardo Cajiuat. Together, they served Methodist churches in the Philippines and the US until 1998. She served in the capacity of choir director and/or Christian Ed. minister while holding full-time positions in social work. She also translated the Upper Room to Tagalog language. Her gift of translation led her to translate the Easter portion of Handel’s “Messiah” to Tagalog for her choir in Taytay to sing. She was Dean of the College of Social Work of Phil. Christian Univ. from 1974 until they moved to Dallas, TX in ’83. It was a high point in her life, shaping a new College and having all SW graduates pass the board exams and finish at the top of the list. She was involved in the International Association of Social Work as an officer. She was a nephrology social worker in TX until she retired in 1998. She received that Sue Jaskula Memorial Award from the National Council of Nephrology Social Workers in 1996. She held leadership roles in the United Methodist Women in both countries. In the Philippines, she was president of the local, district, conference, and national level of what was then WSCS of the United Methodist Church. In TX, She chaired the North TX Conference Religion and Race, working passionately on religion and race and social justice issues of the UMC. She was active with the Church Women United, receiving Woman of the Year recently in recognition of her tireless work. She is survived by her husband Eduardo and five children: Rev. John Mark (Jocelyn), Margie (Jeff) Brueggeman, Susannah, Betsy (Bruce) Lundgren, and Rev. Grace (Chris) Cajiuat-Herigstad; grandchildren Julie Ann, Stefan John, Jo Pauline, John Edward and Dylan Brueggeman, Sabina and Natalie Lundgren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 10:00 a.m. at the Restland Funeral Home Memorial chapel at 13005 Greenville Ave., Dallas 75243.
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