Arthur Guinto Tandoc

Arthur Guinto Tandoc, age 51, of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, was abducted by heavenly angels on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at home in the evening after his first day of returning to work as a dialysis nurse. Born on March 30, 1972, to Fernando and Josephine Tandoc in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines, Arthur grew up with eight other siblings, playing a lot of outdoor basketball and studiously learning from the school of hard knocks. Despite being the youngest, in many ways he became an older brother figure others looked up to and sought help from to better one another as a big family, taking care of his two nieces Anna Torres and Armie Vargas.

After graduating from Ramon Magsaysay High School in 1989 to the Circle of Life playing as the ceremonial music, he along with most of his family immigrated to the United States of America and became naturalized citizens, where a new world of opportunity awaited Arthur. One such opportunity hit him on a fateful day in 1995 while working as a volunteer nurse, when he met the future love of his life, Melanie Funcion, at Sunnyside Nursing. After getting married in 1997, they had their first child, Justin Tandoc, on October 3, 2000, and lived in Carson for a number of years before permanently settling in Rancho Palos Verdes, where he and his family enjoyed hiking on the peninsula trails by the ocean coast, overlooking Catalina Island. It is there that he had his second child, Jason Tandoc, on November 16, 2006. His firstborn, Justin, ended up inheriting his bookish, philosophical side, while his second born, Jason, inherited his sporty, athletic side.

Throughout his life, Arthur continued to use the skills he learned from his upbringing to serve those around him, whether family, friends, or acquaintances. Above all, his resolute work ethic enabled him to become a role model for both his siblings, his friends, and his own children. His enthusiasm for becoming his best, self-fueled his curiosity for learning and tinkering with everything from singing, exercising and martial arts to computer repair, mechanical work and cooking. He was always the life of the party whether in karaoke, dancing, joking, or playing, and put smiles on people’s faces no matter the occasion.

Ultimately, his biggest impact was in the help and advice he gave through the wisdom he instilled in others. He made sure to emphasize in his family the importance of having confidence, standing for what one values, finding balance and flow in one’s life, enjoying every little moment, never being afraid to make mistakes in pursuit of bettering ourselves, and recognizing that in the end, no man is an island, or in the words of Fast and Furious actor Vin Diesel: “nothing is more important than family”. He showed us the very importance of that saying one last time on New Year's Eve of 2023, offering another installment of his best cooking with shawarma.

Arthur was predeceased by his oldest brother in the family, Armando Tandoc, his father Fernando Tandoc, his mother Josephine Tandoc, his sister Agnes Tandoc David and Annilee Tandoc. He is survived by his wife, his mother-in-law, his children, and many more family members and friends than one can list, and will continue to impact us all in his noble spirit as we follow in the joyful example he was to everyone.