Orlando Castillo Calasan

Orlando Castillo Calasan was born on February 25, 1942, in the northernmost area of the Philippines, in a town named Aaparri.  He was the youngest of six children of Maximino Calasan Sr, a school principal, and Praxedes Castillo Calasan, a school teacher.  Orly, as he is fondly called by his family and friends, lost his father at an early age due to typhoid fever.  He was raised, along with his older siblings, by their mother Praxedes, who continued to work as a school teacher and a tailor/seamstress.

Orly moved to Manila during his high school years, with the support and guidance of his older brother Gregorio, who at that time was a labor attorney and eventually became an arbitrator and judge in labor law.  His brother Gregorio helped to support him through his college academic endeavors.  Orly enrolled and attended Far Eastern University, where he studied medical sciences and medical laboratory technology.  He would complete his studies having earned a Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences in 1969.

During this time, he had met the love of his life Violeta “Elvie” Lising, and they dated for 6 years before getting married at the St John the Baptist Catholic Church/ San Juan Pinaglabanan on July 11, 1970.  Following their marriage, they established a thriving tailoring business in Manila, only to be gifted to their master tailor when they migrated to Canada.  

Orly and Elvie's first-born son Patrick was born in Manila on July 3, 1972.  Shortly after Patrick's birth, Orly and his young family moved to Vancouver Canada on October 29, 1973.  Orly would go on to continue his education in the field of medicine, his passion.  He studied at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and was accepted into the cyto-technology specialty class with the BC Cancer Institute.  There, Orly excelled as he completed his studies at the top of his class for theory, and second in class for practical applications.  Orly was a dedicated member of the BC Cancer Agency's cytology/ cyto-technology department, having worked there for 28 years before retiring in 2003.

Orly and Elvie's second son Francis was born on March 22, 1979, in Vancouver.  With a young and growing family, Orly and Elvie purchased their second home in Richmond, where they raised their boys. Orly would drive them daily to Vancouver College on his way to work at the BC Cancer Agency.  Both boys completed elementary and high school studies at VC, which Orly believed would provide his boys with a solid education coupled with Catholic values, ideals, and beliefs.

Orly has always been calm, sincere, considerate, and kind.  His many friends and family would attest to his calm demeanor, thoughtful actions, and pleasant personality.  He enjoyed traveling with his wife, and their friends, having visited, toured, cruised, and travelled to many countries including China, Thailand, England, Scotland, France, Spain, Mexico, Denmark, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Japan, and many others.  He would travel to several US areas but favored visiting Palm Springs where Patrick and his family live, and Las Vegas, where he and Elvie owned a vacation home.  

Orly is survived by Elvie his loving wife of 52 years, his sons Patrick (Trisha) and Francis (Janelle) and six grandchildren Brendan, Haley, Nathan, Mateo, Noah, and Chloe, his sister Yol, and countless family and friends.  

Details of service are as follows;

Viewing, Visitation, and Prayers
Monday, May 15, 2023