Annie Silvestre Gallardo

Annie began her early education in Bongabon, NE, Philippines where she graduated as Valedictorian in High School. She then went on to pursue a Medical Degree and graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine in 1964.

Immediately after graduation, she was offered a Pediatric Internship at Jacksonville, Florida. At the young age of 22 she left her parents and siblings and braved a whole new world.

After her Internship, she decided to specialize in Pathology. It was during her Residency Training in Florida that she met up with a town mate, Benedicto Gallardo, followed by love at first sight and marriage which lasted for 56 years.

She was blessed with a son, Benedict, followed by a daughter, Mary Grace.

She performed her dual role as a physician and as a mother exceptionally well. She was very patient and loving and soft spoken. She made sure she spent time with her kids no matter what the demands of her career were. She was a devoted wife, a good friend to many, and was very supportive of her parents and younger siblings. She is the embodiment of kindness, grace, unselfishness, compassion.

Being married to a U.S. Navy husband during the Vietnam war, the family was assigned to San Diego, to prepare the husband for three successive year assignments to Cubi Point U.S. Naval Air station. Here, she played the role of a mother and father to their two year old son Benedict alone, while the husband was away.

Though she had license to practice Medicine in Florida, in California she had to again study to pass the California Board required to work as Pathologist or Pediatrician. It was time to light the candle at both ends to study and pass all Board requirements. Against all odds and with only a tremendous strength of character and intense desire, as her weapons to improve the family lot, her exemplary efforts were awarded in passing the Board with flying colors.

With a Ca. license in hand, she worked at La Jolla Pathology Group for awhile then moved on to become the Medical Director at the County Mental Health of San Diego, from which she retired in 2000.

Wherever she was assigned, her remarkable work ethics, easy going character, generosity in helping others in all departments at CMH, she earned the respect and admiration of everyone she worked with. She was given numerous accolades in all the years she served the city of San Diego.

In the home front, she was the brain thrust in establishing the family residential rental business.

With her business acumen and superb skill with numbers, she and her husband bought and refurbished rental single dwelling houses and condos and turned them to a prolific source of income for the last fifty years and ongoing to this day.

As a wife, her love and devotion to the husband is unsurpassed. As a mother to our children, she applied the principles she inherited from her parents. She helped them excel in all aspects of education from home work to doing actual projects. Both children were also champion spellers. Closely coordinated with educators to assure timely completion of every assignments required of them in attaining the highest possible grades in every subjects.

The children responded with interest and devotion. Our son holds a PHD IN chemical and computer engineering, enjoying the position of Head Engineer in a Software company. Our daughter majored in English and is extremely proficient in every aspect of it. She is well sought Editor in Great Britain where she currently resides.