In Memory of
Dominador G. Domingo Jr.
February 2, 1943 - February 23, 2010

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Dominador G. Domingo Jr. who was indeed a born manager. He will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. He was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional "old school" morals, Dominador was an individual who clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Dominador knew him as a well-respected man who was a stable force in his community.

Dominador was born on February 2, 1943 at home in San Pablo, Castillejos, Zambales, Philippines. His parents were Dominador Domingo Sr. and Elizabeth Gonzales Domingo. Dominador was raised in San Pablo, Castillejos, Zambales, Philippines. Even as a youngster, Dominador learned to be objective and decisive. His faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that he carried with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Dominador was able to put his natural abilities to work. He was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren't't supposed to. In other words, he liked to organize and direct. Dominador was raised with seven siblings. He had three brothers, Ben, Romy and Eddie (deceased), and four sisters, Flor, Glo, Ellie and Lita. Dominador had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Dominador, this was a natural order of life, one he gladly embraced.

Dominador's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during his childhood. As a young boy, Dominador enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Dominador's memorable achievements included being an honor student in elementary school.

In school, Dominador was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of his classes. He would eagerly complete his homework, and often put in extra study time when he felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Dominador was always good at following directions and meeting his schedules, whether they were set by his teachers or were self-imposed. Dominador's personal motto could well have been, "Do it right the first time." He graduated from Castillejos Academy in 1959. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite classes in high school were math and physics. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Ernesto Navarette. Dominador was an excellent student. He was in the top five of his class every year and graduated third in his class (first honorable mention).

Dominador's practical work ethic carried over into his college years. His logical mind permitted him to work hard without succumbing to the usual distractions of college life. He would tackle an assignment and work through it before moving onto the next project. Dominador's orderly nature gave way to establishing personal study habits and procedures that not only helped him stay on track but often put him ahead of schedule. When Dominador saw the need or benefit, he would willingly take on the extra assignment or even attend extra classes in order to learn more and become a better student. He attended the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) in Manila for three years before applying to the US Navy. His favorite courses were chemistry and math.

Dominador was sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. He enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Dominador was a member of a group, his interaction worked to keep the others grounded. He wasn't afraid to confront his friends and, when necessary, he challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Dominador came to expect his high standards of performance. While growing up, some of his best friends were Jose Cruz, Romeo Cruz, Danny Paet, Rizaldo Fabor, Helen Dumlao and Eddie Roldan.

An objective and conscientious individual, Dominador reveled in the security of his family. On May 1, 1971 Dominador exchanged wedding vows with Rosalinda Benito Panis at the St. Nicholas Church of Castillejos, Zambales, Philippines. One of Dominador's most endearing qualities was his uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and his unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for his family and friends.

Dominador was ever watchful of his children. He worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Dominador would give his stamp of approval to their requests, as long as he could see how they might benefit. He also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that his children were properly raised. Dominador and Rosalinda were blessed with three children, John Panis Domingo, Lynn Panis Domingo and Rose Panis Domingo. They were also blessed with one granddaughter, Sealyn Domingo Azeez.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Dominador was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Dominador was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He worked cooperatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Dominador upheld his standards. He was employed for more than 21 years by the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, and retired as Chief (E-7).He then served several years working at NavCare and Balboa Naval Hospital as a Pharmacy Technician. Dominador was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of "give me a job, and I will get it done."

Dominador was a Navy veteran. His sense of duty helped lead him into the military where his understanding of rank, his willingness to abide by rules and regulations and his desire to follow orders was admired by his fellow service men and women. He was stationed at Naval Hospital Cubi Point, Subic, Philippines, attended Naval Post Graduate School in Fort Ord, Monterey, California, and was stationed in Bremerton, Washington, on the USS Constellation (dry-docked in Bremerton, Washington), at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, at Balboa Hospital in San Diego, California, and at Guam Naval Hospital in Guam. Dominador served on the USS Mars during the Vietnam War. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E-7). He received several awards recognizing him for his heroism, including a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Navy Disaster Task Force Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Commendation, Navy Achievement Medal and five Good Conduct Awards.

Dominador approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were fishing, crabbing, billiards, bowling, basketball and gardening. Dominador was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Dominador to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. In high school, Dominador played billiards and basketball. Recreational sports included fishing, running, bowling and billiards. He also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, baseball, golf, bowling and billiards.

Being generous with his time and energy, Dominador liked to belong to a variety of groups and organizations. He was a vocal leader who enjoyed being a part of things. His desire to uphold traditions and his ability to take charge of any type of project made him a tremendous asset. In high school, Dominador was a class officer in the Student Council Organization (SCO). Throughout his later years, Dominador was an active member of the Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus, Cursillo Movement, Castillejos Civic Club of San Diego County, Inc., Fleet Reserve Association and the Disabled American Veterans.

A Civic-minded person, Dominador was usually ready to jump in and help with community activities. He was the type of person who could masterfully organize events and projects and then see to it that they were run in an efficient and timely manner. Dominador was a member of several community groups, including serving on committees for the Castillejos Civic Club of San Diego County, Inc. During these years, Dominador applied his analytical intellect to problem solving and so was an asset on most committees.

Faith in God was important to Dominador. He held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay he saw around him. For that reason he held deep spiritual beliefs that he was willing to share. He was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church for 28 years. During that time, he was an usher, attended Retreats at St. Charles, participated in St. Charles Annual Bazaar, attended the Daughters of Mary Immaculate rosaries and Cursillo activities.

As someone who placed a high value on showing gratitude, Dominador could graciously accept a "thank you" extended to him by those he helped. However, individual recognition wasn't a motivating force for Dominador; rather, when he saw that there was a need to get something done, he was more than willing to give his time and energy in order to see it accomplished. Some of his most prestigious awards included Knights of Columbus Knight of the Month for May, 2007.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Dominador used his scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that he made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Dominador had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included trips back to the Philippines to visit relatives in Tacloban, Leyte and Zambales.

Dominador was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Dominador's favorites was Ralph, a Labrador Retriever mix dog. They were best friends for 1 year.

When Dominador's retirement finally arrived from the US Navy in 1988 and work life in 2003, he was well prepared. He used his critical evaluation skills to make sure that every detail had been preplanned and attended to. His new life involved relocating to San Diego, California. In retirement, he found new pleasure in sewing, being active in the church organizations, Castillejos Civic Club and ushering at the church. He attended dances with his wife and participated in Church fundraisers. In many ways, Dominador loved retirement. It provided him with the opportunity to catch up with his friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

Dominador passed away on February 23, 2010 at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. Dominador's ailments had started way back in 1986, when he was in his 21st year in the US Navy and stationed in Guam Naval Hospital. He became very ill and was diagnosed with the disease Lupus (SLE) with complications. Although he recovered from his first bout with Lupus, over the years his symptoms would get worse. Lupus continued to affect other major organs in his body. On February 23rd, he finally succumbed to the disease that he bravely battled for 24 years. He is survived by his wife Rosalinda; his children John, Lynn and Rose; his son-in-law Sean; grandchild Sealyn; his brothers Ben and Romy; and his sisters Flor, Glo, Ellie and Lita. Services were held at St. Charles Catholic Church. Dominador was laid to rest in Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California.

All who knew him would agree that Dominador was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Dominador G. Domingo Jr. did his best to ensure that his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched was given the chance to become a better person.