Ruth G. Calisterio

Ruth was born on May 17, 1934 and was the second of seven children of the late Antonio Guanzon and Adoracion B. Guanzon of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, Philippines. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Rev. Tomas V. Calisterio, and six siblings – Manuel, Arturo, Alma, Alberto, Augusto and Avelio. She lived a fulfilling life as a loving mother to Daryl Faith, Tom, and Francisco; a good mother-in-law to Stanley, Ana and Arlene, and a caring grandmother to Abigail and Stephanie with husband Keith Aranas. Ruth had a degree in Pharmacy and in Elementary Education. She worked as a public School Teacher and later became the Principal of the school. She was a supportive wife to her husband Tom who she met at the Barotac Nuevo Evangelical Church when he was serving as a student Pastor there and she was the backup organist. They were married on May 17, 1957 on Ruth’s 23rd birthday. Tom and Ruth had a blessed ministry in the Philippines from 1957 to 1982 and later also in the United States. Ruth was the constant support of her husband while he served in various ministries: as the Director of the Baptist Student Center, as the Pastor of Baptist Center Church – in Iloilo City; and as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Quezon City, Metro Manila. In 1982, they came to the U.S. for Rev. Calisterio to do his Doctorate in Ministry on a scholarship at the Eastern Theological Seminary. They became part of the ministry of Chestnut Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Upon an invitation from colleagues in Houston, Texas - they pioneered the First Philippine Baptist Mission Church there. They later came back to Philadelphia where Ruth faithfully served as a partner in her husband’s ministry as the Senior Pastor. She sang in the choir and got involved in various ministries that needed her help. Ruth was widowed for seventeen years before her passing-on in Dallas, Texas on May 2, 2021. She enjoyed singing hymns, playing the piano, reading her Bible and loved praying to the Lord. She was a prayer warrior! On television, she loved to watch her favorite preachers, the news, and some game shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. She was happiest when her children visited and they could gather as a family. She loved to treat them with Filipino food. She loved to cook for the family, and later she continued to serve even amidst the limitations brought about by health problems. Truly she will be missed by her family, relatives and loved-ones: her children, grand-children, three sisters-in-law – Nene Esther, Del and Celia; her cousins, nephews and nieces whom she would occasionally call to check on them.