Rogelio Deleon Pena

“Boying / Roger”

Rogelio de Leon Peña, age 91, passed away peacefully on Monday afternoon, July 21st, 2025, at his home in Montebello, CA. He was born July 6, 1934, in Tondo, Manila, a son of the late Josefa Pantangco de Leon of Malolos, Bulacan and Aurelio Lolarga Peña of Camiling, Tarlac.

Boying is survived by his loving wife, Myrna, his brother Virgilio “Ver”, sister Josefina “Josie”, and four children Roberto “Jobet”, Rodrigo “Rody”, Rolando “Olan” and Maria Cristina “Tina”. Boying’s two other brothers are Fiorello “Fio” and Aurelio Jr. “Rely”, both of whom are deceased: Fio died in 2022 and Rely in 1954.

He grew up in Barrio Catmon in Malolos, Bulacan. Completed his elementary school at Immaculata Academy of Malolos in 1947 and high school at the Ateneo de Manila, a Jesuit School in 1951. He then earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila. In 1961, he went on to study Industrial Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and in 1975 became a licensed Professional Industrial Engineer in the State of California.

In 1959 he traveled to the United States for the first time to visit his sister Josie, before returning to the Philippines to marry Myrna Vallego Tiongco of Santa Rosa, Laguna on August 19, 1959 in Quezon City. It was in Quezon City where they made their home and had four children, Roberto, Rodrigo, Rolando and Maria Cristina.

In 1970, when President Ferdinand Marcos threatened to declare Marshall Law, Boying decided to return to the USA with his family - this time for good. He settled his family in Los Angeles, California and worked for the Avery Label Co. in Monrovia, the County of Los Angeles and 17 years for the United States Air Force as a Supervising Industrial Engineer, where he retired in 1999. He is proud of his work for the USAF, monitoring production of warplanes at Northrop Grumman, Rockwell International and McDonnell Douglas.

Boying played golf and later tennis. He traveled to and attended the four Grand Slam Tennis tournaments, the US Open in 1992, Wimbledon in 1993, the French Open in 1994 and the Australian Open in 1995. He traveled and cruised extensively around the world with his wife Myrna and his children. He volunteered at Beverly Hospital and St. Benedict Church as a lector. He relishes telling jokes and comments knowledgeably on history, politics, sports, business and world events. He loves to write and send letters to the Los Angeles Times, The Tidings and other publications, some of which were published. He wrote his memoir, All That Have Been and self-published it in 2007.

“Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.” ― St. Ignatius Loyola

Visitation and a Rosary Service will take place on

Wednesday, August 6th and Thursday, August 7th from 5-9pm.

Rosary will begin at 8pm on both evenings.

Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary is located at:

3888 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90601

Free Parking

Funeral Mass and Entombment will take place on

Friday, August 9th at 9:30am.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is located at

555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Free Parking

Details of Reception to Follow