Valerie Ann Malabonga

Valerie Ann Agbayani Malabonga, 61, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 1, 2022. Valerie was born in the Philippines, emigrated to the United States in 1991, stayed more than twenty years in the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia area, and spent the last eight years of her life in Carmel, Indiana.

She will be missed by her husband Dan, their sons Julius and Joseph (“JB”), her six siblings and the widow of a brother who predeceased her, several nephews and nieces, her in-laws, and many more family members and dear friends.

Valerie received a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of the Philippines; a Master’s in Community Psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University, also in the Philippines; and a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. In the Philippines, she was a social worker, first for the Agency for Community Education Services (“ACES”), serving in depressed rural communities; and then for World Vision Philippines, doing relief work. In the United States, she did research work for the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, DC.

She was a member of College Park Church, where she served as a co-leader, with her husband, of a home small group; volunteered in the special needs Sunday School class; and participated in Moms Connection and Women’s Bible Study. She was a member, and a former officer, of the non-profit Christian organization “Balikatan,” consisting of alumni of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of the Philippines. At the time of her passing, she was also a member of the board of the Christian organization, Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture (“ISACC”). She was an avid sender of “Balikbayan” (meaning, return to country) boxes to the Philippines, providing books, clothes, and other goods to relatives, and to Christian ministries in the Philippines. She was also an enthusiastic yearly contributor to Operation Christmas Child.

On Thursday, November 10, 2022, in honor of Valerie’s life, there will be a visitation (from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM) and memorial service (from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM) at College Park Church (2606 W 96th St, Indianapolis), followed by a procession to Carmel Cemetery for burial and prayer. For those unable to attend the memorial service, you can click the link below to watch livestream.

https://control.resi.io/webplayer/video.html?id=a1cc3c21-04c0-4267-98e8-227785b093f6

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Valerie’s memory be made to Operation Christmas Child: for that link, please click below.

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/ways-to-give/