Ester Mabanta

Ester Balinong Manrique Mabanta passed peacefully on June 4, 2022 at home with her family. She joins her husband of fifty years, Johnny, who passed away on May 31, 2019.

Ester and Johnny are survived by their five children: John, Marie, Margaricia, AnnaMarie and Estelita, and eleven grandchildren: Ryan (his wife, Amelia), Alex, Michael, Aidan, William, Emma, Isabel, Nile, Daxx, Ava, and Faith.  Ester is also survived by her two sisters, Gloria and Patricia; nieces and nephews Angelina, Ayana, Gregory, Erick, and John; and several cousins.

Born in the Philippines, Ester was raised in Baguio and attended college in Manila.  She married Manuel (“Johnny”) Mabanta in 1969 and moved to the U.S. shortly after.  She lived on the MS Gulf Coast for many years and worked in the Gulfport school system for Gaston Point and 28th Street Elementary Schools.  Though MS was her home, she also lived in Washington, D.C., Florida, and La Maddalena, Italy. Ester loved to travel and has journeyed around the U.S. and the world.

In addition to her travels, Ester loved to sing and dance. She especially enjoyed singing Christmas carols with the Fil-Am community, in the church choir, at home as a soloist or with her Johnny. She had fun teaching Filipino dances, slow-dancing in the kitchen with her husband, and doing a little “cha-cha” with her friends (any chance she got).

Ester was a devout Catholic who served and volunteered with her husband at many local churches along the coast: the Seabee Chapel, St. John’s, St. Therese, St. Thomas, and Our Lady of Fatima. They strived to be examples of God’s love to each congregation through their countless hours of volunteer work and selfless acts of kindness to the community.

She was a lively spirit with a zest for life, Christian faith, family, and good fun!  She will be missed by many.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests your donations and/or time to help the less fortunate in the community.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Biloxi on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the Biloxi National Cemetery where she will rest with her beloved Johnny.

Funeral services are provided by Riemann Family Funeral Home, Long Beach.  Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared at www.riemannfamily.com.