Solita Del Valle Encarnacion

Solita del Valle Encarnacion was born on July 22, 1932, to Alberto del Valle, a provincial government employee and his wife, Gertrudes, a schoolteacher. She was born in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, a major island in the Philippines. It was in Calapan that she spent her childhood. It was a period called “peacetime,” when the country was under American influence and before the start of World War II. Her parents called her Lita or “Bulilit” (tiny). She was the eldest, but the smallest, of five children. Her younger siblings were Arfilimo, Aristedes, Vilma, and Jaime.

She was nine years old when her hometown was invaded by the Japanese. She was in school and was told to hide under her desk when the Japanese bombed her hometown port. Her family had to flee to the mountains and for months lived off the land until the Japanese army had full control of her hometown. When they returned, the Japanese had full and strict control of the local government and the schools. She recalled having to learn to read and write in Japanese. She was in fifth grade and had to sing both the Philippine national anthem and the Japanese national anthem. Philippine liberation came in 1945 and peace was finally restored in her hometown.

She graduated high school from Calapan Academy in 1949, where she excelled in academics (always an “A” student) and athletics. She ran 400 meter relays and hurdles. She developed an interest in medicine soon after she enrolled at Mindoro Junior College. Being of modest means, she was advised by her father to take a shorter academic course and she chose to pursue dentistry instead and set her course for Manila.

She was accepted at the Manila Central University College of Dentistry. She met her lifelong best friend, Rebecca Tuangqui, at dental school. They both graduated in 1953. Solita was hired by her former professor, Dr. Rufino Achacoso, at the East Dental Laboratory in Manila, while she was waiting for her board exam results. She became a full-fledged licensed dentist at age 22.

Dr. Achacoso had a relative and employee at the time Solita was hired. He was a dentist and a graduate of the University of the East College of Dentistry. His name was Inocencio Encarnacion. He proposed to Solita in 1957. On May 31, 1958, they were married on Solita’s parent’s anniversary day. They honeymooned in Albay, in the Bicol province, home of the famous Mayon Volcano. They stayed at the home of her best friend, Rebecca.

Solita and Inocencio continued to work in the same dental office until 1958, when they decided to start their own practice together. They set up office in the living room of their little apartment in Manila, with only one dental unit and one dental chair. She was 26 years old.

On March 12, 1960, Eva Marie (“Gigi”) came into their lives. She was the first of their five children. They were able to move their office to a separate office building that same year. On November 28¸1961, Ellen was born. Elmyra (“Maya”) was born on May 29, 1963. The following year, Edwin was born on December, 18, 1964. The family was growing and so was their dental practice. They became actively involved in professional associations such as the Philippine Dental Association, Quezon City Dental Association, and Lions Club.

On July 5, 1967, Edgar Allan (“Gary”) was born. Solita had a miscarriage two years before.

The 1970s showed the Encarnacion family flourishing. The years that followed were marked with success and progress. The girls were enrolled at St. Scholastica’s Academy and the boys went to Marist School in Marikina, Metro Manila. By 1978, Solita and Inocencio were running two dental offices—one in Cubao and one in Makati—and had a home in the suburbs. Solita was also a school dentist at Maryknoll College.

Life drastically changed in 1978. Aristedes, Solita’s younger brother had joined the US Navy, moved to the United States in the mid-1960s, and became a citizen. At that time, he was able to petition his sister to immigrate to America. Solita initially decided against it due to her struggling career and family life. The opportunity came around again in 1977 and on June 17, 1978, the Encarnacion family moved to America. Inocencio was left behind for one year to take care of the home and businesses.

The family first stayed with Solita’s sister, Vilma, who had a home in Alexandria, Virginia. They finally settled in a single home in 1981. Unable to practice as dentists in the States, Solita worked as a dental assistant and Inocencio became a dental technician.

When the opportunity came to move to America, their goal was that their children have the best American education possible. And it was worth sacrificing their careers and previous life in the Philippines. They persevered to support and inspire their children through all those years. And their children went on to finish college and established their own path and careers.

Gigi graduated from George Washington University, and later from Howard University with a degree in dentistry. She has a successful dental practice in Vienna, Virginia. Ellen graduated from the University of Maryland and later achieved an executive MBA from George Mason University, before she passed away on May 27, 2000. Maya graduated from the University of Virginia and later from St. George’s School of Medicine. She is a practicing neurologist in Texas and has published numerous journal articles on Parkinson’s disease. Edwin graduated from George Washington University and later from SUNY University. He is a practicing physician assistant specializing in orthopedics in Sterling, Virginia. Gary graduated from Virginia Tech and is now Director of Compliance for Freddie Mac in Vienna, Virginia.

Gigi was married in 1985 to Tomas Pleta and had three daughters: Alexandra, Patricia, and Mary Josephine. Maya was married to Ruperto (“Joe”) Buscaino in 1998 and had a son, Kal.

Solita and Inocencio have enjoyed the fruits of their labor and sacrifices through their children. Inocencio retired in 1995 and Solita finally retired in 1997 as well. They enjoyed their lives with their children. Holidays were always spent together with the children and grandchildren. They travelled almost every year, as a couple, and many times with the entire family. She has travelled to twenty seven countries in the past thirty years. But their lives continued to revolve around their children—and grandchildren. And likewise, their children’s lives revolved around theirs.

Inocencio passed away on March, 2005. Solita stayed at their home in Mclean until her final days. It was her comfort zone and loneliness and boredom never set in. She never retired from dentistry as well, as she continued to assist and inspire Gigi at her practice--she and Inocencio had been a tremendous influence in the growth of Gigi’s practice. And although she lived alone, she cooked for company because there is always family stopping by to share dinner.

In her later years Solita kept herself occupied with quilting, watching Eternal Word Network, figuring Sudoku and crossword puzzles, and watching Jeopardy and Dancing with the Stars. She still made it to church every weekend. She loved to go to the Filipino store on weekends and to Macy’s to buy gifts for her grandchildren. Every weekend was a time to eat out and sample different cuisines.

She travelled with her children every year—from the Outer Banks to Santorini, Greece. She attended two destination family weddings this year in Turks and Caicos and Atlantis, Bahamas. In 2012, on her 80th birthday, friends and family from places including Canada, California, Massachusetts, Texas and the Philippines danced with her on The Spirit of Washington cruise.

In the morning of November 17, 2014, Solita left this world. At home, in her study, she had left behind a journal of her life. She was thankful to everyone in her life and appreciated every struggle and blessing. She dedicated her memoir to her husband, children, grandchildren, siblings, in-laws, and friends for the “ enlightenment, experiences, and challenges that made my world a better place” and for making her a better person.

“So dear Lord, I am grateful to be blessed with the gift of life, sustained by your hand, and for my faith which has given me hope throughout my life. There is still much good in our lives and in the world. It is not just a question of creating things that will make us happy. We only need to have the attitude of gratitude, focusing on the blessings we already have in our lives. “--Solita Encarnacion.