Cecilia (Noble) Nogacz Coleman died peacefully on November 17, 2021. She will be missed by her children, Marika (Scott) Yessa and Lynette (Jim) Flannery, grand children Cecilia (Chris) Wild, Shane Quigley, Griffin Quigley, Kianna Yessa, Drew Flannery, Mick Flannery, Eddie Flannery and great granddaughter Cailey Wild.

Cecilia was born in Taal, Batangas Philippines in 1933 to Rufo and Isabelle (Atienza) Noble. As the oldest daughter of a prominent family, she enjoyed a life of privilege, including a college education. Cecilia was a trailblazer and graduated with honors from the National University of the Philippines with a bachelor of science degree in Chemical Engineering. She was one of only a few women to graduate with an engineering degree.

At the age of 26, Cecilia's dream to live in the United States became a reality. She flew from the Philippines to Boston to pursue an advanced degree in Medical Technology.

Cecilia met her first husband, Basil "Bill" Nogacz while working for a hospital in Chicago. He was tall, handsome, a mechanical engineer, and his dance moves could equally match hers. Bill and Cecilia fell in love and defied both of their families by marrying outside their race. They lived happily in a 3-flat in Ukrainian Village surrounded by his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. Cecilia and Bill had two young daughters when they were given the sad news that Bill had lung cancer.

A widow with children ages 5 and 1 1/2, Cecilia was a trailblazer again in the late 1960's when she became the owner of a medical laboratory to support her family. Cecilia owned and successfully operated Norwest Medical Laboratory in Ukrainian Village for over 20 years.

Cecilia became a trailblazer again in 1970 when she purchased a home in the suburbs for her young family. At that time it was legal for Realtors and banks to deny access to homes and home loans for women. Although she was turned away again and again, Cecilia persevered.

Settling into the western suburbs, Cecilia focused on her children and business for the next several years. She also sponsored her siblings and many cousins to live in the United States as well. She was involved with the Filipino community in Chicago and served as a role model for female business owners.

Cecilia found love again and was married in 1975. Her new husband, Malcolm Burr, was a Yale graduate with a PhD and was a decedent of American legends Aaron Burr and Alexander Graham Bell. They enjoyed traveling, raising their children and building a new home together. Sadly, after only 15 months of marriage, a fatal heart attack left Cecilia a widow with young children once again.

Cecilia was a smart real estate investor. She managed a rental property and purchased several acres of land to hold. It was during an open house when Cecilia met her third husband and General Contractor, John Coleman. Cecilia helped him expand his luxury home building business. Together they traveled, enjoyed entertaining friends and family, and later retired to their summer home to enjoy lake living in Wisconsin. They were married for nearly 40 years.

Throughout her life, Cecelia enjoyed many hobbies including her love of learning, entertaining, and shopping.

There was nothing that Cecilia could not learn (except maybe swimming & biking). In the early 80's Cecilia even learned to write code using Fortran. Cecilia also took classes in photography, flower arranging, interior design and anything that caught her interest.

Although Cecilia came to the United States without knowing how to cook, she learned to cook many different cuisines and was well known for her homemade dishes. She used to joke that cooking was like a chemistry class. Her fries rice, pancit and egg rolls were loved and craved by many!

Cecilia was an accomplished pianist and also entertained guests with her beautiful music. While vacationing in Hawaii, Cecilia learned to hula dance and play the ukulele. She entertained hundreds of people with her special skills. When hosting a party, Cecilia was proud to make all the food, decorate the venue, and even provide the entertainment.

Cecilia was an avid shopper who turned to "retail therapy" throughout her life. She loved wearing the latest fashions and designer brands. From the tips of her designer heels to her Louis Vuitton handbag and diamond earrings, Cecilia always dressed the part of a successful business owner. While she could easily afford her shopping habit, nothing made her more delighted than a bargain find.

As a young mother, Cecilia loved to dress up her daughters in matching outfits. Marika & Lyn were the best dressed girls on the playground. She also enjoyed helping her daughters shop for back-to-school clothes, prom dresses, work clothes and maternity wear. Cecilia was happy to repeat the cycle of shopping for her 7 grandchildren.

Family, friends & faith brought great joy to Cecilia's life. As the oldest child she hosted countless family events for her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. From birthdays to baptisms, there was always a party with Cecilia's delicious food.

As a grandmother, she lavished her grandchildren with their favorite foods and gifts reflecting their individual interests from mermaids to NASCAR.

Cecilia was a remarkable woman who blazed many trails and proved that strong women with faith can do anything. It started with a young girl in the Philippines who wanted to visit the USA, the rest is an intricately weaved tapestry with bright threads, dark threads, tight and loose stitches, and hope, love and faith in every inch to create something extraordinary - a life well lived.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at 11:00 am at St. Domitilla Church, 4940 Washington Street, Hillside, IL 60162, with lunch following the service. Burial will be private.

Donations to Alzheimer's Association at ALZ.org are much appreciated.