Linda F. Arancillo

Linda F. Arancillo, born on May 13th 1940 in Iloilo Philippines, peacefully passed away on Saturday, August 15th, 2026 (the Feast of the Assumption) in her home in Elmwood Park, IL surrounded by her loving family.

Linda was the beloved mother of Mia (Rick) Arancillo and was preceded in death by her loving husband of 53 years, Paquito Raz Arancillo, parents Jose Fajardo and Edoveges Martinez Fajardo, siblings Belen, Leila, Raul, Lydia and Vicente. Linda was a mom to many and regarded as their second mom with the way she nurtured and cared for others.

Linda had a spirit larger than life, a tender loving soul and heart of gold and compassion. She touched everyone she met and even those who didn’t personally know her still knew of her because that’s just how big of an influence and presence she carried.

To know Linda is to love Linda. Her infectious smile, vibrant personality and beauty inside and out made her unforgettable. She was funny, outgoing and caring and had the ability to make everyone around her feel loved and comfortable. She was little miss social butterfly who would call all her family and friends often just to check on them and share the latest encouragement, support, love or prayers. Her presence introduced her before she even walked into the room.

She loved to garden, travel, shop, cook, eat healthy food and most of all the presence of her family and friends and God. She had a green thumb and could make anything grow in the garden even by merely sticking a stump like alugbati (Filippino spinach) in the ground and it would multiply. She had a very generous and giving nature and always looked for ways to give veggies and flowers from her garden, any food she made like her yummy pancit or had in her fridge and money to the poor and church.

She was fun to be around and was very popular to the point that her phone never stopped ringing from neighbors, friends and family asking about her if they didn’t see or hear from her.

Linda grew up in Dumalag Philippines, met and married Paquito and worked as a teacher there up until 1982 when she immigrated to the US with Paquito and her daughter Mia.

She left behind a very comfortable life in the Philippines to get better health care for Mia who was born with a congenital heart condition and also to chase after the American dream.

She was a fiercely devoted, courageous loving wife to Paquito and stood by his side through sickness and in health until death did they part. They were truly inseparable and acted as the greatest role models for what unconditional love, support and a beautiful God centered marriage looks like.

Linda was Mia’s partner in crime, best friend and sidekick traveling the world together sharing the message of health and healing against environmental stress and toxins. They shopped endless hours, gardened until they could no longer move and ate the fruits of their labor from the garden.

Linda was a strong woman of faith, prayerfully devoted to God, her church, her community and serving others around her.

She was a strong pillar at her local church St. Vincent Ferrer and faithfully served as the Director of the Simbang Gabi Filippino Christmas mass for over 40 years. As a prayer warrior part of the Fatima Prayer Community, she was a role model who influenced others to draw closer to God, pray daily and believe in the power of prayer. Her answer to everything in life was always prayer. For the majority of her life she woke up at 4am just to pray and prayed all throughout the day.

Her supernatural strength with God’s spirit shined through all the way until she took her last breath. Her devotion to her family and God was unparalleled. She had a strength, resilience and persistence that was unlike no other.

She crossed the finish line into God’s loving arms as his good and faithful servant as the most peaceful, unmoved beautiful child of God and devoted Mother and Wife that she was.

Though her physical presence is no longer here on earth, her spirit, soul and beautiful memories she has given us will always be a part of our hearts.

Visitation, Thursday, August 27, 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Closing Prayers, Friday, August 28, 9:00 a.m., The Elms Funeral Home, 7600 W. Grand Avenue, Elmwood Park Illinois, 60707, Mass of Christian Burial, 10:00 a.m., St. Vincent Ferrer Church, 1530 Jackson Avenue, River Forest Illinois 60305. Interment to follow, All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines. Afterwards, please join the family at Salerno's Pizza, 1201 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60622.

For information, 708-453-1234.