Julian B. Antonio

To Julian B. Antonio, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Julian, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Julian really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Julian was born on January 12, 1918 at home in Dingras Ilocos Norte, Philippines. His parents were Quintin Antonio and Basilia Bareng. Julian was raised in Ilocos Norte. Even as a child, Julian had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Julian was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Julian managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Julian was raised with five siblings. He had three younger brothers, Juan, Miano, and Anong, and two younger sisters, Andria and Anle.

All of Julian's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Julian experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. In his spare time he liked fishing.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Julian was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Julian simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Julian, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Julian's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Julian graduated high school in 1935. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

Julian reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Julian was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Julian, life was not a case of all play and no work. Julian relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He attended some college and correspondence schooling. His favorite course was electronics.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Julian very easy to approach. Julian exchanged wedding vows with Adela Inserto at church of Manila, Philippines. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Julian related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Julian was blessed with ten children, one son and nine daughters. They were also blessed with seventeen grandchildren, Dexter, Stephen, Vincent, Micheal, Paul, Roger Jr., Julie, Mary, Reyna, Rochelle, Crystal, Dana, Nicole, Stephanie, Cherylin, Drew, and Amber. Julian had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Julian's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Julian had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Julian was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Julian liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Julian was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Julian's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Julian as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was a Mechanical Assembler. He was employed for 26 years by San Miguel Corporation, and worked 20 years both as a custodian and as a mechanical assembler.

Julian was a Guerilla during World War II. He was a Guerilla and fought side by side with the U. S. Military. Julian saw action for World War II.

Julian enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Julian liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were collecting movies and reading. Julian was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Julian was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and baseball.

Julian had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Julian's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. Throughout his later years, Julian was an active member of the American Legion. Politically, Julian was a supporter of the Republican Party.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Julian recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of St. John's Parish in Milpitas, and also a member of St. Bernard Church in Tracy. During that time, he was a member of the Knight of Columbus.

Living life in the fast lane suited Julian just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Hawaii and Philippines.

Julian believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1988, Julian took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to live with his children, although he first retired in his own home in San Jose, California. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Julian remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in going to the Casino every now and then. He also continued to attend the American Legion every Sunday. Even in retirement, Julian continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Julian passed away on March 3, 2012 at Valley House Rehab Center in Santa Clara, California. He is survived by his ten children, Julian Jr., Clarita, Belen, Flor, Adelina, Ruth, Adia, Norma, and Nena,which are all college graduates except for one. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home at the Chapel of the Oaks. Julian was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.

Julian brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Julian B. Antonio lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.