Rodulfo Pacumbaba Obituary

Rodulfo Paje Pacumbaba, age 89, of Manhattan, passed away February 22, 2025, at the Meadowlark Hills Retirement Community in Manhattan.

He was born on July 15, 1935, in Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines. He was the son of Prudencio Orpiada and Tomasa (Paje) Pacumbaba.

Mr. Pacumbaba attended the University of the Philippines where he earned his bachelor's degree in agriculture. In 1964 he came to Kansas State University as a Rockefeller Scholar and earned his MS and PhD Degree in Plant Pathology. He worked at Kansas State from 1970 until 1976 as a research scientist. From 1976 until 1979 he was a scientist at IITA-International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in the Republique du Congo, Africa. In 1980 he accepted a position as science researcher at the University of Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, and in 1981 he worked for the USAID-Cameroon, Africa.

In 1981 Rodulfo and his family moved to Alabama. He accepted a professorship at the University of Alabama A&M. He enjoyed the university and retired in 2008 from his tenured professor position.

On February 24, 1960, in Quezon City-Manila, Philippines, he was united in marriage to Teresita Osi. Rodulfo and Teresita enjoyed almost 65 years of marriage. They moved to Manhattan to live at Meadowlark Hills in 2021.

Rodulfo was preceded in death by his siblings: Vladimir Pacumbaba and Vidya Pacumbaba, his mother Tomasa, and his father Prudencio Pacumbaba.

In addition to his wife Teresita, he is survived by his children: Marjorie Devlin (Dan) of Manhattan, Gina Pacumbaba of Lawrence, Rudy Pacumbaba Jr. (Tammie) of Harvest, Alabama; his grandchildren: Sarah Brunner (Matt), Dani Mertz (Abram), AJ Devlin (Karly), Allison Kohlmeier (Drew), Maria Watson (Phil), Sydney Watson, Jack Watson; great-grandchildren: Emma, June, Beau, Madden, Shepard, Miller, Zara, and Charlie; his siblings, Jaime Rene Pacumbaba, Xenia Pacumbaba, and Patria Olga Pacumbaba.

A private Mass of the Christian Burial and interment will be held at a later date.

A celebration of life reception by invitation only will be held from 12:30p.m. until 4:00p.m. Saturday March 22, 2025 at the Meadowlark Hills-Prairie Star Restaurant, 2121 Meadowlark Hills Road in Manhattan.

Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Pacumbaba may be made to the Meadowlark Hills Foundation and Teresita Pacumbaba. Contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.