Life took Zenny Lacson in unexpected directions and preoccupations, but in every case, she embraced the challenges and gave them her full attention. When she was young, Zenny’s parents and siblings moved to Manila to seek economic opportunities but left her to be raised by her large extended family in her birthplace of Tarlac to avoid upsetting her excellent academic progress. Not surprisingly, this was the start of Zenny becoming a “self-starter”, a driving trait she carried throughout her life.

That drive took her to the University of Philippines in Manila for both a BA and Master of Library Science. Her mentor there, Mrs. Tan, pushed Zenny to take a research internship at the East-West Center’s Communications Institute in Hawaii. As she had no desire to leave the country or her recently reunited immediate family, Zenny initially resisted but eventually gave in and arrived in Honolulu in late October 1978. She found the homesickness hard to overcome, and soon wanted to go home. Those plans were waylaid, though, by a chance encounter with the pale-faced Tim, who had arrived at the Communications Institute in January 1979.

Upon his arrival, Tim quickly made plans to rent a car to explore the island that he had heard so much about growing up with his navy veteran father. While he already had some travel mates lined up, there was one more seat available - a seat offered to and taken by Zenny Lacson by pure happenstance. This led to a whirlwind courtship that involved exploring not just Honolulu, but all the Hawaiian Islands, and then a cross-country Greyhound bus trip on the Mainland, where Tim proposed to Zenny on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Zenny admitted years later that she did not actually hear Tim’s proposal, however, due to being distracted by the enchanting beauty of the Canyon. Nevertheless, she made it to the altar in Pittsburgh on July 4th, 1980, and the two continued to have countless adventures and travels while building their life together.

After being whole-heartedly accepted into Tim’s large, large family, Zenny threw herself into being a wife and mother; while she worked at various libraries and agencies on a consulting basis, her true heart was always with her family. What she most wanted to be remembered for was being a good mother. And she was; even better than good, she was tremendous. She often said her greatest accomplishment was that her sons grew up as friends and remain so today.

In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Zenny had a successful 20-year career off-and-on at the Defense Acquisition University before she retired in July 2020. She did not really get to enjoy her retirement for long, as she was soon diagnosed with cancer in September 2020. She passed away early in the morning of January 18, 2025 after a long, determined fight, surrounded by her family and the love and concern of many neighbors, friends and former colleagues. She was inspired to keep fighting by her granddaughter, Honor, and with the hope she would live to see another arrive in April 2025. Unfortunately, cancer claimed her and God called her to her rest.

Zenny now joins many friends and relatives who have gone before her, including seven of her nine siblings in the Philippines, her beloved in-laws, John and Mary Virginia Logue, and her brother-in-law Terrance P. Logue. She is survived by her husband, Timothy, sons Sean and Ryan, and beloved daughters-in-law Rebecca Jones and Kathryn Peth, respectively, and Sean and Rebecca's daughter Honor, whom Zenny doted on. She is also survived by sister-in-law Jenny and her husband Floyd Schuchert, and nieces Sara and Gwen, and nephew Brian Schuchert. She is mourned as well by sisters Elena Lacson and Emelita Saguinsin, and as well as many cousins and family members in the Philippines, and her "American" cousin Rene Cua. 

More information and photos from her life can be found at:

Funeral Chapel: https://www.jeffersonfuneralc…

Photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fid…

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