Private funeral mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. Philip Seaton officiating.

A public viewing will be held at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home on Sunday, November 24, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. till 5:00 p.m.

A private wake and Rosary will be held at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel.

Cards Galera Cortez, 76, went to her heavenly home on Monday, November 18, 2024, in Lawton, Oklahoma, surrounded by those who loved her.

Cards was born on February 29, 1948, to Fernando and Antonia Galera in Agoo, La Union, Philippines.  She attended elementary school at Agoo East Elementary and high school at St. Mary's Academy in Agoo, La Union.  In 1968, she received her Bachelor of Education from the University of the East, Manila, Philippines and in 1969, Cards started her teaching career with St. Mary's High School in Okinawa, Japan.

While in College, Cards met the love of her life Vic and on June 27, 1971, Vic and Cards (VICARDS) tied the knot in Bantay, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. After the wedding, they decided to move to Marikina to be closer to Vic's job ARAMCO.  In 1979, Vic was offered a job from the same company in Saudi Arabia. It was a tough decision but to provide a better future, Vic completed a seven-year contract before migrating to the US.

After years of being a stay-at-home mom and focusing on her children and Vic still in Saudi Arabia, in 1983, Cards decided to venture into teaching once again. She started teaching at St. Nino Elementary school and ended her teaching career in 1987 at SSS Elementary school before migrating to the US in 1987.

In 1987, the long-awaited petition/sponsorship from her parents came through and the whole family migrated to Guam.  Cards worked as the bakery manager for Elite Bakery before moving to Lawton, Oklahoma in 1989 to be closer to Vic's family. From 1989 until retirement, Cards worked for her brother-in-law Dr. Teofilo Sy's Psychiatric clinic as the insurance/claim's specialist.

She spent the majority of her time caring for her grandchildren where she earned the nickname "Mamang".  Mamang cherished and loved all ten of them.  She loved playing the ukulele and singing "La Vie en Rose," "Paper Roses," and her own version of the lullaby "In the Cottage by the Wood," as she put them to sleep.

Her love for her children was beyond words.  She always kept a picture of them in her wallet, even showing them to strangers she met during vacations and expressing how proud she was of having five amazing kids, all graduating college and of which three are doctors.

She was preceded in death by her mother Antonia Galera, father, Fernando Galera, brother Alex Galera, sister Judy Galera, sister Lucrecia Molina, and sister Evelyn Angeles.

She is survived by her husband, Vic of the home; sister Patricia Galera of Philippines, son Dr. Jayson Cortez and his wife Lisa of Norman; daughter Shalla Cortez-Orndorff and her husband Tommy of Lawton; daughter Dr. Jayne Cortez-Nguyen and husband Thomas of Orange County; daughter Shirley Cortez-Allauigan and husband AJ of Lawton; son Dr. Jayrone Cortez and wife Lorren of Lawton; grandchildren Victoria Orndorff, Jashua Orndorff, Jayden Cortez, Isabella Cortez, Masen Cortez, Emersen Cortez, Tyger Nguyen, Baylon Allauigan, Jayde Nguyen, Landon Cortez, and sisters-in-law Amelita Cagatao and Aurora Sy of California, and  nieces and nephews and various friends from all over the world.