[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICE OF JUAN LUJAN PANGELINAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 13, 2009

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
service of Juan Lujan Pangelinan, who passed away on January 23, 2009. 
Juan was a dedicated public servant who served as a Commissioner of 
Agana Heights, an elected position now called Mayor.
   Juan was born on May 18, 1922 to Francisco Borja and Natividad Lujan 
Pangelinan in Anigua, a district of Hagatna, Guam's capitol. Experience 
he gained working with his family businesses in Sumay, the pre-war 
economic center of Guam, paved the way for his entrepreneurial spirit 
and establishment of his own commercial ventures after World War II.
   He co-founded Kotla's Store, and as one of the island's first 
village retail stores, Kotla's Store prospered for over forty years as 
a community corner store and laundromat. He established the ``Villa 
Kotla'' where many of his family members reside today. He was known for 
using his personal resources to help families in his village during 
their time of need.
   For his commitment to his village, the community of Agana Heights 
elected Juan as Guam's first write-in village commissioner in 1952 and 
re-elected him to four consecutive four-year terms. As the elected 
leader of his village, Juan avidly involved himself in various 
community organizations. He founded the Agana Heights Drum and Bugle 
Corps, Majorettes and Armed Drill Team to provide the youth of the 
village the spirit and pride of community. In the aftermath of the 
devastation of Super typhoon Karen in 1962 Juan helped in finding 
shelters for families whose homes were destroyed.
   Juan's community spirit extended beyond his village as a member of 
the Helping Hands of Guam, the Young Men's League of Guam, the Agana 
Heights Holy Name Society, and the Agana Heights Association. Juan 
retired after thirty years of dedicated public service to our island 
community.
   With a passion for family genealogy, Juan published two books, 
Familian Kotla and Familian Haniu and began working on Familian Lujan 
and Familian Untalan. Today, these genealogies provide accurate 
histories, not only of the families of which Juan Pangelinan was a part 
of, but also of the communities of Agana, Agana Heights, Anigua, Sumay 
and other villages on Guam.
   My thoughts and prayers are with his surviving siblings Sister Mary 
Alma, RSM, and Luisa and Antonio, his children, Frank, Toni, Tita, 
Loling, John, Gerianne, and Joseph and his grand children and great 
grand children. We honor his life's work as a civic leader and his 
contributions to our community. Most of all, he will be remembered by 
many as a generous and giving man. We are grateful for his public 
service and we will miss him dearly.

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