CHATRICE FOREVER

Chatrice Felix- Beza

January 23, 1977-June 14, 2024

 

If you know Chatrice Felix-Beza - you know her as superwoman who always held her grace and carried on with her best high heels.  Juggling her different roles - from devoted mother, bright career woman, caring wife, loving daughter, everybody’s wise elder sister, to fashionista with a flair, and the number 1 fan of New Kids On the Block.   She was a balancing act.  Carrying with her drive, wry humor, incredible wit, and fiery passion.  Chatrice lived life with all the fight that she had.  All this while carrying such energetic verve.  She fought through many things in life as she was always a fighter who can tackle different roles.  And in the last eleven years she carried all these roles while fighting the bravest battle.   

 

 On June 14, 2024, Chatrice passed away peacefully surrounded by family and closest friends, after battling brain cancer for many years.  She was 47 years old.  

 

Chatrice was born in Seattle, Washington to Marfelita and Jorge Felix.  The eldest daughter of two Filipino immigrants who wanted to strive for their dreams and thrive in the US - of course, with that origin, Chatrice was destined to fight and thrive.  

 

 Chatrice was a Filipino-American to the core, one who was truly American in her self-starter ways but still related to her softer roots in the Philippines.  She would blast NKOTB’s “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)”  while also watching soap operas on TFC.  

 

She studied hard to reach her goals and made sure she was an obedient daughter.  All that while she was also well-loved in her school years, attracting so many friends like an effortless magnet to people.  Anyone who knew Chatrice knew she had the strongest charisma.   She always had the best style and best hair, no matter what era she was in.   She was always a fiery presence but also carried the softest of hearts especially to the elders in her family.  She had a quick sense of humor but also the first to shed tears of empathy for you.   She was truly the best of both worlds. 

 

She has always been a go-getter, at a young age, she knew what she wanted and set her eyes on her clear goals.  She worked full-time through college at DKNY, getting promoted quickly as a store manager because isn’t that truly Chatrice?  

 

Soon, after graduating from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree double majoring in Business Administration and Management, and later on an MBA Degree, Chatrice started her career in Liberty Mutual, working her way through the corporate ladder.  She remained a loyal employee for over twenty years, working her way up to Commercial Business Manager.  She worked hard to make a living for her family so they could have a comfortable life. 

 

Chatrice truly worked hard. That was why she thrived so much.   But she also played hard and most of all, loved hard.  This is why she even fought so hard in the first place, it was her love.  

 

She had so much love for her family that she is part of many core memories of vacations visiting Hawaii, Puerto Rico, frequenting California and Disneyland to name a few,  and even in her last days, a Disney cruise.  Many of us are witness to how her sisters look up to her as a hero.  She taught them how to shop for the best deals while still having so much style and panache.  If you know the Felix sisters, you know Black Friday was always tradition for them and it has continued on for many years even until this day.  She taught them many things; she was always their go-to shock absorber and adviser, the “Manang” they love and look up to. 

 

She had so much love for the love of her life, Randy Beza, whom she met back in her high school days in 1992.  In 2003, it was once the talk of the town how their wedding was like a fairy tale wedding in Seattle because of how much they glowed in love.  Even in her last days,  Randy would play Shanice’s “Saving Forever for You” for her like they were falling in love all over again.

 

She had the staunchest love for her two boys, Demarco, her eldest who she gave birth to in 2007 and Enrico, the baby of the family, who was born in 2012.  She would attend their sports games.  She would always be present at  every event in school, making sure her boys were supported.  Even during her illness, she remained steadfast in her support, never allowing her condition to interfere with their lives. She made sure Demarco went to his baseball game, even if she had brain surgery the day before. She continued to volunteer and stay actively involved in both of their schools. After an ICU stay, she still attended Enrico’s championship game. Despite her severe pain or fatigue, she always cheered for Demarco at his basketball games.

She fought hard because of love- her love for everyone in her life and her love for life. 

 

  Back in 2013, she was diagnosed with a Pilocytic Astrocytoma, a Brain Tumor common in children but rare in adults. What started with a bout of headaches became a long battle she fought with.  Over the years, she went through three brain resections, later on multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and two rounds of proton therapy.   It was an intense battle and Chatrice always faced it head on.  Never complaining.  Never even asking “Why me?”  She had the bravest face as she battled her gravest adversities.   She never wavered in her faith in God through it all.

 

She continued working and wanted the normalcy in her life, Chatrice never wanted to be defined by her cancer.  She still was the loving mother, the hero of a sister, the caring daughter, the amazing wife, the best employee, and the kind-hearted friend.  She still tackled all these roles while she fought.  Never to be deterred by this, she was still in charge.  She made her appointments, managed her finances, and even took care of her care schedule.  Chatrice never stopped fighting. 

 

 There were many times we thought that we would lose her yet she still had all the fight in her.  In Spring 2023 when the cancer spread, she still took it all in stride and with such grace.  She was offered her last treatment of proton therapy radiation and immunotherapy, which she agreed to without hesitation.  Soon, the treatments were taking a toll on her body but she still continued on.   Then on Christmas 2023, she had a cardiac arrest and though everyone thought we would lose her, she still fought through getting out of ICU and even leaving hospice care.  That was how strong Chatrice is.  

 

She made the most of her last days, spending vacations with family, celebrating Randy’s birthday, lunch dates with her mom,  Nordstrom’s with her sisters, being part of her sons’ tournaments, and celebrating Enrico’s birthday even when she was at her weakest.  

 

Chatrice was a fighter and the best that there is.  As we say goodbye to her, let us not remember her for her sickness, we must remember her for her beauty, her bravery, grace… and most of all her love.  The love she shared with all of us.  The main reason she fought this hard. 

 

Chatrice Felix-Beza was a fighter. Let’s celebrate her for that.  

 

She is survived by her husband, Randy Beza, sons, Demarco and Enrico Beza.  Her mother, Marfelita Felix and her sisters, Charmaine Felix-Randquist and Chanelle Felix-De Jesus.

 

Thank you, Chatrice for your amazing love and life. 

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