Obituary of Concepcion "Connie" Ceniza Hernandez

Concepcion Ceniza Hernandez (aka Connie, aka Inday) passed away on September 13th, 2022. She was 92 years old, and the beloved matriarch of the Hernandez family. She was the cherished widow of Jesus Antonio (aka Jess) Hernandez and the dearest mother of Jesus Santiago, Maria, Antonio, Manuel (deceased), and Francis. She was Lola (Filipino word for grandma) to her 20 grandchildren and her 8 great-grandchildren. Born in the Philippines on May 4th, 1930, Concepcion was the eldest child of the late Santiago & Monica Ceniza, and her late siblings were Rodolfo and Carmen. She completed her Master of Arts in Education degree in 1980 from Immaculate Conception College in Ozamiz City, Philippines. She worked for the Philippines’ Department of Education for 44 years first as an Elementary school teacher and then as a principal for 10 years before she chose early retirement at 62 years old to immigrate to the United States where she would live out the rest of her life. Concepcion was an active member of several social clubs and religious organizations both in the Philippines and the USA including: Catholic Women’s League, National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, Rotary Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Order of DeMolay Mother’s Club, Order of the Amaranth, Red Hat Society, North Star Lions’ Club, Filipino American Senior of Staten Island, Philippine American Civic Cultural Community of Staten Island, Jesus Through Mother Mary Ministry and a few others. She enjoyed several hobbies and constantly loved learning something new. She was a prolific reader and she liked participating in different sports including bowling, swimming, basketball, and volleyball. Later in life, she learned painting and arts & crafts. Most of all, she loved to dance and was always first on the dancefloor, even in her 80s. Surprisingly, she was a fan of watching horror movies to her daughter’s terror and her grandchildren’s delight. She loved having her pets around her, especially cats and dogs. She truly relished being around people, helping them when needed, meeting someone new, nurturing those friendships and appreciating all of life’s adventures. She believed in never giving up and that learning from mistakes make us stronger and wiser. She was an affectionate and loving member of the family whose smile could light up a room. She will be deeply missed and will forever remain in our hearts. Viewing to be held at Matthew Funeral Home, Inc., 2508 Victory Boulevard, on Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Funeral Mass to be held on Monday, September 19, 2022, at Saint Rita’s Church, starting 10:00 AM. Entombment to follow mass at Clover Leaf Memorial Park Route 1, Woodbridge, NJ 08095.