Ligaya Kates

Ligaya Kates,73, passed away Wednesday May 17, 2023.

Ligaya was born in Dumaguete City in the Philippines on January 23, 1950 to the late Jose Aguirre Mendoza and Jesusa Montenegro Luba Mendoza. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She married Wade Kates they were together 43 years until her passing. Ligaya received her Masters in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University in 2004. She worked for Hanesbrands Inc. as a Specialist Data Engineer before retiring on January 20, 2016. Ligaya loved attending church and tending to her garden. Family was very important to her, she especially enjoyed spending time with her grandsons.

She is preceded in death by her parents.

Ligaya is survived by her husband, Wade Kates of Statesville, NC; daughter, Christina Connolly of Statesville, NC; sisters, Filipinas (Ningning) Halford, Viluz Palma and Lilia (Nonoy) Reformina, all of the Philippines; brother, Tomas (Belen) Mendoza of the Philippines; grandsons, Caden Connolly and Dominic Connolly; niece, Mabel (John) Siceloff of Olin, NC; many more nieces and nephews in the Philippines.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 A.M., Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at St. Philip's Roman Catholic Church with Father Kessler officiating. The family will receive friends after the service at the church. Previous Events





Funeral Mass





MAY 23. 11:00 AM (ET)



St. Philip's Roman Catholic Church (Statesville, North Carolina)

525 Camden Dr.

Statesville, NC 28677



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