EVANGELINE "VANGIE" CORPUZ AUSTIN

Evangeline , Vangie, was born Evangeline Corpuz Garcia on August 25, 1972 in San Juan Barangay Solano in Nueva Viscaya Philippines. Vangie was the 8 th child of 9 total to Anastasia an d Alfredo Garcia. Soon after Vangie was born it was recognized that she was a very special child. She began 1 st grade in school at 4 years old. She had such fond memories of her school years and her early years in San Juan. She was always the youngest and smallest through the school years. She always said school was too easy. She graduated Valedictorian of her high school class before she turned 15. Shortly after her graduation her family moved to Manila and she began college at Polytechnic University of the Philippines where she studied business . Again , she finished at the top of her class . She worked at Mister Donut during her college years. Once she finished college she worked at a couple of different companies but she complained that she could not make enough money to help the family. Her oldest sister was a OFW working in Hong Kong.  Her sister's employer had a friend who owned a company that needed a bookkeeper so the introduction was made and soon Vangie had a contract to work in Hong Kong, so at the age of 21 she went to Hong Kong. This was very unusual because almost all Filipinas in Hong Kong are domestic helpers only. Shortly after arriving in Hong Kong, she was informed that her real purpose for being in Hong Kong was too be the owner's domestic worker with only 1 or 2 hours a week doing the bookkeeper job. Vangie, known for her spunk, said no this is not what the contract says. The employer said if you do not like this arrangement you may go home but without pay. Vangie filed a lawsuit in Hong Kong against the employer and won her case. The employer had to pay her the complete amount she would have earned over the 2 year contract.

It was during this time she was introduced to her future husband Steve Austin. He was an American businessman living in Hong Kong . The first few dates almost everything that could go wrong, went wrong. After a few horrible dates, the entire situation changed. Steve has said for years that it was like a light switch which finally turned on and suddenly after only a few weeks of dating they were in love. After 5 months of dating, Vangie returned to the Philippines to await a fiancé visa. A few months later they met upon her arrival in San Francisco and flew back to her new home in Houston. They were married July 20, 1996 in their backyard by Steve's father a Baptist minister. It was a beautiful setting and she was so very happy. After the honeymoon, Vangie was ready to go to work.

Vangie started her career in Houston at Metro Transit as a financial analyst. She worked there for four years before being recruited to work at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She started in the Budget Department where she worked gleaning everything she could learn about MD Anderson and their business. Her boss then, Juan Castro, even just recently said she was the best worker and analyst he ever had. He told her when she left his department that once an employee left him, he would not hire them back. He also told her, anytime you want to come back the door is wide open for you. She moved from the Budget Department to the Department of Thoraic Surgery as a Senior Financial Analyst. These were her very best years at MD Anderson. She loved people there. Her boss, Linda Prichard, became a very close friend. Linda really respected Vangie's expertise and dedication to her work.

It was during this time with Linda and the Thoraic Department that Vangie became pregnant after ten years of trying.  Vangie's pregnancy was very difficult and after 4 months of bed rest she gave birth prematurely to her only child, Bubba, a 12 pound baby with two front teeth.  These really were the happiest days of her life.  Vangie  was so very proud of Bubba and the Lord had blessed her patience with a special boy.  He began singing at the age of 7 and was recruited to become the first Texan ever to be invited to join the Vienna Boys Choir.  She was so proud but she new God had given him this talent and that she had to share him with the rest of the world.  So, at the age of 9 she flew to Vienna, Austria to give her son to the world. She followed him all over the world via the internet and posted all of his videos to her friends on Facebook.

At MD Anderson after spending a few years in the Thoraic Department, she was promoted to the position of Associate Director of Finance for the Division of Anesthe siology, Pain and Critical Care.  She worked extremely hard after this move but was caught in a number of political moves.  This was a very difficult time for Vangie as she never felt appreciated.  She had 3 different bosses and at least a year without a boss while searches were made for her new boss.  She continued to do her very best in the position.  Her last boss, Ryan Thompson, has said he was very aware of how hard Vangie worked.  He has said he never ask her for anything that she did not deliver.

Vangie flew to Vienna to spend time with Bubba for his 12 th birthday.  While there she complained of a stomachache. Upon her return she saw a Gastroenterologist who immediately diagnosed her with colon cancer.  She valiantly fought the battle for eight months.  She received chemo every two weeks until the end.  She went through three different types of chemo and she was scheduled to start the fourth on the Wednesday after she passed on Sunday.  She was convinced she was going to beat the cancer.  She said this new trial drug is the one to cure me, just think, I will be maybe the first to be cured by this new chemo.  She loved MD Anderson and was so supportive until the very end. On the Saturday before she passed, she was trying to work on a report that was due on Monday.  She literally gave her life to MD Anderson.

She leaves behind her husband of 23 years 11 months, Steve, her only son, Bubba and an adopted granddaughter , Madison.  Vangie was so unselfish and considerate that she requested due to the pandemic, there be no formal funeral nor viewing of the body.  She requested that instead of flowers and plants donations be made to the Austin Family Medical Bills gofundme page.  Her earthly body will be buried on Saturday July 11, 2020 in Wellington, Texas.  She said Wellington always felt like home, so she will be taken and interred at her adopted home.