Maria Luisa Reyes Jael, 78, of Richmond Hill Georgia and Maywood Illinois, passed away on September 19, 2022, from lung cancer surrounded by her loving husband, children, and grand-children.

Maria Luisa Jael was a kind, generous, and thoughtful soul and will be missed and remembered by many lives she touched. She was a retired school administrator and teacher who continued to devote her time to caring for her immediate and extended family and faithful adoration to God till her last days. She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 55 years, Danilo (DJ), children  Sampaguita married to Paul, Jasmin married to Fil, Josef, Monica married to Bernan, John Paul married to Joanne, Lily married to Ryan, 11 grandchildren, Adrian, Francis, Angelica, Erin, Christian, Dominic, Gabriel, Wyland, Lucia, Ligia, and her "baby" Kaleo, loving grand nieces Calista and Alba, the family pet, Indie, who was a constant home companion, and an aging younger brother who depended on her guidance and support from across the world.

Known by many as Marilou or Ate Nene, she was the eldest of 6 children, born on May 25, 1944 in Lucena City, Philippines to predeceased parents Godofredo P. Reyes Jr., a diplomat, and Carmen Jarvina Reyes, a homemaker. Marilou was also survived by her sister Maria Lourdes (Dee), and brothers Godofredo, Carmelo, Jose Lino, and Leopoldo, cousins, aunts, nieces and nephews.

She attended  Sacred Heart College and Maryknoll Academy, Lucena City during her elementary and high school years. It was at Maryknoll Academy that  DJ  was a batchmate from the boy's section. Marilou and DJ both graduated high school in  April 1959 but they officially got acquainted afterwards when Marilou and another female classmate asked for DJ's help with the Mayflower activities for church. Marilou went on to attend  Maryknoll College, Quezon City, and Concordia College, Manila for her post graduate courses, where she earned a double degree in Music Conservatory and Education.

After her schooling she had a brief stint as a kindergarden and college teacher, as well as worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency and film outfit, Nepomuceno Productions. In 1967,  after almost a decade of courtship she married DJ and moved on to work for the umbrella organization for the Philippine's coconut industry, United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCAP) where she held the position of UCAP Administrative Officer and Head of Services and the Library. She organized meetings and attended various international meets as UCAP's official representative.  Her domestic life was equally busy as she and DJ made a home in Makati City where  for several decades the family was actively involved with religious and civic activities at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Bel-Air. At St. Andrew Parish, she helped direct the Community choir, help organize children's faith-based activities, and actively supported the Charismatic group and the Family Rosary Crusade.

In the early 90s, the family migrated to the United States and built a home in Chicago, Illinois. She went back to teaching when she was employed by the College of Office Technology. There she taught several classes which included Typing and Math, as well as served as the school's administrator for evening classes, until the school closed in 2013 when she retired.

At that time she was already immersed in active parish life at St. Eulalia Church in Maywood, Illinois where she was a member of the Marian group and the choir. She also initiated and led the local yearly Public Rosary Rally sponsored by the group America for Fatima.

To keep the hometown roots alive, Marilou, along with the family, actively supported the Lucena Association of the Midwest where Marilou also served a term  as president.

In 2018, she and Danilo, along with Josef and brother Carmelo, moved to Richmond Hill, Georgia to live with her older daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. There she enjoyed her retirement in warmer weather, occasional out-of-town trips, Holy Hour adoration at St. Anne Parish, and frequent walks with DJ at nearby parks.

Marilou was an avid reader, a quality she passed on to her grandchildren. She enjoyed reading Anne of Green Gables, Harry Potter, and countless romance/historical novels. She was a big Lord of the Rings geek. She also followed shows like Monks, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Everybody Loves Raymond, Curse of Oak Island, and Gilmore Girls.

She loved to celebrate, host gatherings, and dress up at events. She was a master baker because she learned from the best teacher, her mother Carmen. We will miss calling her for her recipes.

Until her very last days, she called on her favorite saints, St. Padre Pio and St. Sharbel Makhlouf, for intercession, and fervently prayed to the Lord of Divine Mercy. Fr. Dawid Kwiatkowski, St. Anne's pastor, in his homily during her Requiem Mass, recalled visiting Marilou in her hospital bed clutching the image of St. Padre Pio like it was an action figure or toy.  She was later discharged for hospice care at home and passed on after completing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy prayer with her family at her bedside during the 3pm hour of Divine Mercy, September 19, 2022.