Dr. Marabella “Bing” Abalos Alhambra Sept. 15, 1947 – Jan. 21, 2023

Marabella (Bing) Abalos Alhambra, M.D., age 75, entered eternal rest on January 21, 2023 due to metastatic breast cancer. She passed away in her dream beach home built on ancestral land in her hometown of San Fabian, Pangasinan, Philippines.

Born on September 15, 1947, Marabella was the second of six children to her predeceased parents, Jose and Espirita Abalos. She is survived by Antonio Alhambra, her teenage sweetheart whom she married in 1973; this year marks their 50th anniversary. She is also survived by her children, Lori (Tim) Fowler, Lyra (Ryan) Repplinger, and Leandro (Roanne) Alhambra; her grandchildren Scott, Rayven, Abigail, Joshua, Gabriel, Thomas, Everette, Olivia, Liam, and Emmy; her siblings, Salvacion (Roberto) Aruiza, Leticia (Frank) Frost, Horacio (Vangie) Abalos, Manolo (Rhorie) Abalos, and Jose (Grace) Abalos; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Marabella was a self-motivated, lifelong learner. She obtained her college and medical degree at the University of Philippines and specialized in Neurology and Psychiatry. She came to the U.S. to train as a neurology imaging expert and completed her Pediatric Neurology residency at the Medical College of Ohio. She obtained her Encephalography training at Children’s Hospital, a Harvard-affi liated institution, before moving to Rockford, Illinois in 1985 to start her pediatric neurology practice. Years later, she switched her focus to sleep medicine and established the area’s fi rst private sleep clinic. Not one to remain stagnant in her knowledge, Marabella later became interested in anti-aging medicine. After moving back to the Philippines in 2016, she opened a clinic that utilized supplements and alternative therapies to increase cellular function.

Although Marabella was a busy physician, she had many interests and hobbies. She earned an Associates degree in Interior Design at Harrington Institute in Chicago, traded her own stocks, was a skilled pianist, enjoyed ballroom dancing lessons with her husband, loved to garden, and, most importantly, was a devoted Catholic who started a rosary group for the Rockford Filipino community. She was a caring, fun-loving, generous, and hard-working woman. She left her mark in this world and will be greatly missed by many!

Marabella is buried in her homeland. A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Holy Family Church (4401 Highcrest Rd, Rockford, IL) to celebrate her life.