Maria Lourdes Ramos Calayag

Maria Lourdes Ramos Calayag, 47, born on February 16, 1979, passed away on March 5, 2026.

Born in the Philippines, Maria immigrated to the United States at the age of 11. Though totally blind from birth, she embraced life with remarkable determination, refusing to let her disability define or limit her. She studied Event Planning and Tourism at Northern Virginia Community College and became a member of the American Society of Travel Advisors. Her work took her to Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Canada, and many places across the United States as she familiarized herself with destinations and accommodations for travelers. She later put her education to use at the Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia, where she worked for eight years, known for her kindness in offering extra chocolate chip cookies and breakfast coupons to brighten guests’ days.

Maria was inquisitive, thoughtful, and adventurous. She loved to read and sing, and she eagerly tried new experiences, whether painting, theater, boating, or joining friends at festivals and wineries. She found joy in arts and crafts, organizing parties, and cooking as an excellent sous chef in the kitchen. Above all, she cherished her faith. In her thirties and forties, she devoted herself to spiritual growth, completing a two-year curriculum in Spiritual Direction in 2017. She participated in home Bible studies and faith-based book clubs, organized one herself, and was an active member of the Arlington Diocese Cursillo Movement, serving on multiple retreat teams and forming deep friendships throughout the diocese. A frequent adorer at St. Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church in Springfield, Virginia, she was also a devoted auxiliary member of the Legion of Mary and an active participant in her parish book club. When asked about her blindness, Maria would gently reply, “I see with my heart,” and all who knew her understood how deeply true that was.

Maria is survived by her loving parents, Ernesto Esguerra and Emily Calayag. She leaves behind her cherished siblings, Mary Ann Calayag and her husband Jeremiah Quiwa, Mabel Calayag-Maramba and her husband Erik Maramba, Francis Calayag, and Jose Salvador Calayag. She was a proud and loving aunt to Johanna Aeryn, Janna Faith, and Jacob Ashton, as well as a thoughtful niece and loyal friend to many. Her kind words, generous spirit, and radiant smile touched everyone she met, and she will be deeply missed by all who had the gift of knowing her.