Carlito R. Valerio

Carlito Redondo Valerio was born on June 10, 1954 to Milagros Genorol Redondo and Victor Cayetano Valerio, in Bacoor, Cavite in the Philippines. His family called him as "Didit" and his close friends knew him as "Dick." Dick was the fourth out of nine children. He had 4 brothers named Jaime, Ariosto, Victor, Jr., and Delfin and 4 sisters named Trinidad, Filomena, Yolanda, and Angelina. My father was also among the children who helped manage the family bakery in the Philippines, which later became a very successful family business in the United States.

My father was a jokester from the start. He created laughter everywhere he went and brought a lot of fun to the family. He brightened up the room with his vibrant and witty personality. He loved to sing and dance. Music was his outlet and he owned a massive collection of records ranging from different genres. He loved firearms and had his very own collection, a hobby that we had inherited. My father also loved to collect antiques and had large collections of statues and classic items. My father attended Cavite National High School from 1967 to 1971.

On November 1, 1976, my father had his first daughter, Mary Anne. Then, on November 17, the following year, he had his first son, Carlito, Jr., or "Junnie."

Soon after, he moved to the United States and joined the United States Navy in 1977. He actively served the United States Navy for 3 years and became a member of US Naval Reserve for 3 years. After being in the military, he then decided to join the family business in National City, California, known as Valerio's City Bakery.

In 1982, he met my mother, Irene during his travel back and forth from the United States and the Philippines. They eventually got married. On November 16, 1984, I was born (Karen Valerio). My father opened up a video store called Valerio's Video next door to the bakery. On March 14, 1989, my brother, Venedic was born.

A few years later, my father together with my grandmother (Milagros Valerio) and all his siblings opened up a partnership bakery, also in National City, called Valerio's Family Bakeshop. He also reopened Valerio's Video next door to the new bakery. My father and his family lived in San Diego for a number of years, until he decided to broaden his business venture and relocate to Los Angeles.

In 1994, my father opened up K.V. Valerio Bakery in Panorama City, California. The bakery instantly became successful. My parents raised their family together, and even taught us how to work in the bakery as well. The couple remained married for 25 years, until they divorced in 2008. My father relocated back to the Philippines that same year.

My father owned a building in Makati City, Philippines, and continued his life being the businessman he always was. My father had another daughter from the United States, Krizia, who also moved to the Philippines shortly after he moved there. On August 20, 2009, my father had another daughter, Carlene.

Although he was in the Philippines, My father remained very close to his children in the United States. He kept in touch with us via telephone calls and Skype. He even went back home to the United States once a year to spend time with his children, siblings, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. He was well loved, and everyone wanted to spend time with him every time he came down to visit.

My father passed away at Divine Grace Medical Center, in General Trias, Cavite, on September 12, 2012 at 4:05 am. He is survived by his 6 children, Mary Anne, Junnie, Karen, Venedic, Krizia, and Carlene; his 5 grandchildren, Adrian, Andrea, Alissa, Reanne, and Roxanne; and his 8 siblings.

My father finally returned to the United States on September 18, 2012. His visitation/viewing will be held on September 27 and 28, 2012, from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Glen Abbey Mortuary Chapel. His funeral mass will be held September 29, 2012 at 11 am at St. Rose of Lima Church. Per my father's request, he will be cremated and laid to rest with my grandparents at Glen Abbey Memorial Park Cemetery in Bonita, California