Kathy (Catalina) Baquiran Lazo Fernando was born to her parents, Francesca Samonte Baquiran and Baldomero Archangel Lazo in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines on March 9, 1923. She had five siblings, Andres (Lodring), Telesforo (Telly), Cristobal, Inocencio, and surviving sister, Elizabeth (Sabel). She attended Northwestern College in Laoag, Ilocos Norte where she received her degree to become a teacher. She taught grade 1 from 1954 – 1957 in Davao City, Philippines.

In 1957, Kathy was petitioned by her late Uncle Anacleto Lazo to go to America and she left the Philippine Harbor on a ship bound for San Francisco, California where she lived with her Uncle and his family for a short while. When in San Francisco, she pursued a career in Cosmetology at the Marinello Schools of Beauty on Market Street.

She moved in with her cousin, Peter Samonte, his wife, Violet and family as it was closer to her Cosmetology school. Our late Lolo Felipe and Lola Cedon Fabian introduced Kathy to their nephew, Eli (Eligio) Bartolome Nicolas Fernando who owned an established and successful Cosmetology business in Los Angeles on Beverly Boulevard. 

On January 3, 1958, Kathy and Eli married in Las Vegas, Nevada under the justice of the peace with Violet Samonte as their witness. On May 31, 1958, they had a church wedding at Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church in Los Angeles, California sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Lambert Benito. The following year, the newlyweds started construction on Fernando's Barber & Beauty Salon along with a commercial office and apartment building located next to the family home in Los Angeles.

Kathy and Eli were blessed with two daughters, Fe Frances and Christine Nena.  The couple raised their girls to be independent young women and instilled a strong work ethic to last their lifetime.  Family always came first, the rest was history.  Kathy and Eli  had a lovely life and prosperous marriage.  Eli passed away in September of 1989. The couple were married for 31 glorious years.

In April of 1991, Kathy became a Grandma and was blessed with a granddaughter, Stephanie Christine Aristei.  They grew to be inseparably in love with each other. In 2003, Kathy was once again blessed with a grandson, Nicolas, who was named after Eli’s middle name. Nic and Grandma also shared a special bond and he would call her “Mamang ko” which is a term of endearment, in English , “Mother of Mine”.  Kathy was extremely happy and very proud of her grandchildren. She loved them immensely.

Kathy sold her property in Los Angeles in 1997, retired, and bought a new house in Henderson, Nevada in 1998.  She loved Las Vegas, but decided to move back to the town she was born. In 2016, Kathy moved to her home on Rizal Street, in Laoag City, Philippines. She lived there until 2019 when she returned to California to live out the rest of her beautiful life.

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