STAR Lifestyle’s Barbara Gonzalez, 79

MANILA, Philippines — Writer and former advertising executive Barbara “Tweetums” Gonzalez-Ventura died on May 28 at the age of 79 due to complications from breast cancer.

Her column “From the Heart” was a popular fixture in The Philippine STAR’s Sunday Lifestyle Section.

In it she wrote about her daily trials and triumphs, her vocation of making rosaries from beads she would collect and life with her late husband, Loy Ventura, whom she met and married when she was 73 and he was 79.

Gonzalez formerly worked in advertising – most notably for Coca-Cola Philippines –and was the author of the books How Do You Know Your Pearls are Real?, On Single Parenthood and Other Ms. Adventures and We’re History!, a collection of her columns on ordinary life.

In 1991 she was a National Book Awardee and lauded by the Manila Critics Circle. She also conducted writing workshops at the Sunshine Place for seniors.

Born on Aug. 8, 1944, Gonzalez-Ventura is survived by her children and their spouses: Risa and Brayton, Sarri and Richard, Panjee, Gino and Faye; her grandchildren and their spouses Paolo and Claudine, Niccolo, Natalia, Mikel, Julian, Santiago and Gabby, Andres, Maxine and Bailey; and great grandson Tristan.