Why Boholanos love Robin dearly

First, a clarification: Robin Williams’ second wife, Marsha Garces, is from Bohol, not Cebu as it has been reported.

The information came from Funfare contributor Leo Udtohan who’s a Boholano.

Robin took his own life by hanging on Aug. 11 after a long battle with drug addiction and depression. He was 63. His current wife, Susan Schneider, revealed that Robin showed early symptoms of Parkinson’s.

I requested Leo to do a research on Marsha’s family tree and this is what he uncovered:

Half-Filipino and half-Finnish, Marsha is the daughter of Pantaleon “Leon” Marciano Fernandez Garces and Ina Rachel Matilla. Leon was born in Ubay, Bohol, on July 27, 1909, and migrated in 1929 to the US where he served in the US Navy during World War II, after which he moved to Milwaukee as his family’s home. He earned his keep as a chef. He spent the last 25 years of his life close to his family in Phoenix and San Francisco. Leon died at age 92 on March 9, 2002 and his wife, in 2003. The couple’s ashes were buried alongside those of Pantaleon’s siblings and cousins at the Ubay cemetery.

“Robin was really a very nice person,” Leo quoted Marsha’s first cousin Jewel Delfin, who runs the Bohol Northeastern Colleges (BNC), as saying. “He was friendly and down-to-earth.”

Even after his divorce from Marsha (they were married for more than 20 years), Robin remained close to Marsha’s relatives.

“When my uncle and aunt had their golden wedding anniversary,” continued Jewel, “it was bongga, held at Robin’s ranch. He even invited celebrities to the party. That was how Robin respected my uncle.”

Leo learned why the Boholanos love Robin dearly aside from his humility and good-heartedness. He was also generous.

“In 2007,” according to Leo’s research, “Robin donated $10,000 for the construction of the Sacred Heart Shrine in Poblacion, Ubay. He learned kasi that the church ran out of budget for the shrine’s roof. He sent his donation through the Garces family.”

‘Honeymoon’ in Italy

No, James Yap and his girlfriend Michela Cazzola are not getting married but only enjoying a well-deserved vacation in Michela’s native country.

But oh yes, they do look like they are “honeymooning” because as you can see in these three pictures, they are not just lovey-dovey but oh-so-sweet that it wouldn’t come as a surprise if ants swarmed over them (as in lalanggamin).

James himself sent Funfare Update three pictures from their honeymoon, er, bakasyon grande (from left): In Venice; in Licata, southeast of Sicily; and in the Taormina town east coast of the island of Sicily.

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