Ofelia G. Banez

On September 8, 2021, Ofelia Banez, MD, loving wife and mother of two children, passed away at the age of 85. She was born on April 28, 1936 in Manila, Philippines to Dr. Hipolito and Anita (Crisostomo) Gatchalian. Ofelia received her medical degree and graduated cum laude from University of Santo Tomas Medical School in Manila, Philippines in 1958. She completed residency training in pediatrics at Akron Children's Hospital in Akron, OH, and fellowship training in pediatric hematology at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, NY. Until her retirement in 1992, she served on the medical staffs of Molly Stark Hospital in Louisville, OH, and Apple Creek Developmental Center in Apple Creek, OH. On January 21, 1959, she married Nestor Virata Banez, MD, who was her medical school sweetheart. They raised two children, Carina and Gerard. Ofelia was a selfless person, who always put her family first. She experienced their success as her success. Ofelia was a welcoming mother-in-law and caring grandmother. She loved spending time with her granddaughters painting their nails, shopping, having sleepovers, and doing whatever else they wanted. Ofelia was preceded in death by her father, Hipolito, and her mother, Anita. She is survived by her husband, Nestor, her two children, Carina and Gerard, her daughter-in-law, Mariella (Maieron), and her three granddaughters, Chiara, Sophia, and Bianca. A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 28, at 10 am at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Canton, Ohio. The family will receive friends from 9 am to 10 am at St. Michael's. Following the Mass, an interment ceremony will take place at Calvary Cemetery in Canton. If you are attending, the family requests that masks please be worn and to observe the social distancing protocol. If you cannot attend, the service will be livestreamed and may be accessed at 10 a.m. on the day of the service by using this link: St. Michaels Live Stream