Lito Piega Tisuela

A visitation for Lito will be held Friday, September 9, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Glen Abbey Magnolia Room, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.

A funeral service will occur Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Mater Dei, 1571 Magdalena Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913.

A graveside service will occur Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Glen Abbey Memorial Park, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.

A reception will occur Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Glen Abbey Orchid Pavilion, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glenabbeysandiego.net for the Tisuela family.

Lito Piega Tisuela was born in Olongapo City, Philippines on January 24, 1961. Lito was the first born child of Diosdado Tisuela Jr. and Priscila Tisuela and was noted to be the most sensitive of the four siblings: Reynaldo, Victor and Joel. Lito and his brothers grew up in the West Bajac-Bajac neighborhood of Olongapo.

Growing up, Lito enjoyed playing basketball with many friends. Once he started earning money, he assembled a basketball team composed of his friends and joined the West Bajac-Bajac summer league. He loved the game so much he went as far as to fund and coach the team himself. Lito was also an avid chess player; his friends fondly called him Karp, referring to the Soviet Chess Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov, due to both resemblance and skill. Lito was very caring and protective, even as a youth. Lito and his siblings grew up in a rough neighborhood and he constantly watched over his younger brothers and protected them.

After graduating from high school, Lito’s father was diagnosed with cancer, making him unable to work. Lito and his brother Reynaldo delayed dreams of college and entered the workforce at a young age to provide for the family. Prior to that, Lito attended the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and completed a technical course in Machine Operation. Encountering these hardships at a young age instilled a work ethic and resilience which never left him. Lito landed a job at the US Naval Ship Repair Facility in Subic Bay as a Sheet Metal Worker where he refined his English and became proficient in his trade. This exposure to the US navy inspired him and showed him a path to better his life.

Lito was selected out of thousands of applicants to join the US Navy. He chose to enter the field of aviation and became an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate. Lito specialized in aircraft launching and recovery operations. It was a hazardous job on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier which sometimes involved 24 hour operations during Western Pacific deployments. Despite the danger it imposed, Lito loved his work and enjoyed globetrotting with the crew all over Asia, Washington State, and San Diego. Lito was accustomed to life on aircraft carriers and lived on the USS Nimitz, USS Ranger, USS Midway, USS Kitty Hawk, USS Constellation, and USS Independence.

Lito was stationed on the USS Midway in San Diego, California where he met the love of his life, Leticia “Letty” Arnesto Tisuela. For Lito, it was love at first sight and he knew he would marry her. He wore gold jewelry in an effort to impress her and was nervous meeting the Arnesto family at “China China” restaurant. The couple eventually married in April of 1993. In June of 1995, they brought their first son into the world, Lloyd Tisuela. Lito loved his son and would often recall a fond memory of Lloyd crying throughout an entire 16 hour flight to the Philippines noting he was a most troublesome baby. Their second son, Lance was born in November 1996 and although he was a hushed newborn, he did inherit his fathers short fuse temper. This led to conflicts growing up but they always loved each other. With two sons to consider, Lito decided that it was time to retire from deployments and end his time in the Navy after 20 years.

Lito went back to school and earned an Associates of Arts in Criminal Justice and found work in the field despite the toll it took on his body, he persevered and continued to provide for his family for many years. He eventually retired from working 10 years in criminal justice and began his well deserved life after retirement. He fostered a beautiful home with his family and two huskies (Tofu and Soda). Eventually, Lito was able to see both his children graduate from universities. Lloyd received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University, and Lance acquired a degree in Print and Online Journalism from San Francisco State University, and now pursues a profession in Nursing.

Lito was notoriously loud, his voice boomed at social gatherings and sporting events if he was there you would know it. Lito lived for family gatherings and loved entertaining guests, no matter the occasion. He loved bringing his sons and their young cousins all over the place; from the Del Mar Fair to Disneyland to Comic Con and Soak City. Lito would often bring the kids to the Naval base for bowling or overnight parties at the Navy Lodge beach cottages, utilizing his access to show his family the many benefits of a career in the military. He always kept the house open to his nieces and nephews for sleepovers and to play at the community pool or if they just needed a loving home to stay in. Nothing mattered more to him than the protection and happiness of his family.

In essence Lito loved life, and he celebrated that love everyday. Lito lived a fulfilling life; he overcame hardships and never gave up on his aspirations. May he continue to be a shining example of what we can achieve as individuals when we are driven by the love we have for our families.