Josefina “Nene” Baltazar was born in Bulacan, Philippines on March 9, 1950. She was the 2nd eldest child of Rufino Santos and Teofila “Piling” Pagdanganan. She spent her early years in Bulacan but also spent time living with her Tita Miling and her cousins in Manila. Prior to moving to California, she lived in Pasay City.
Nene married Jose “Jessie” Baltazar in 1976 and welcomed their first child, Amabelle “Jojo” Baltazar in June 1977. They had their second child, Jocelyn Baltazar, in 1979 and Joseph Raymond “JR” Baltazar in 1982. Jessie was the first of the family to move to the United States, but the family soon reunited in California in 1988.
Nene and her family lived in Riverside for a short time before eventually settling in Fontana. During this time, Nene worked for over two decades for a small pharmacy in LA. She raised her kids while taking care of her husband who would eventually succumb to cancer in 1998. She was a very devout Catholic and an active member of the Legion of Mary for the St. John Parrish in Rubidoux, California. In 2015, she became a grandma after welcoming her first granddaughter, Riley, followed by Magnus and Payton.
