On February 1, 2021, Filomena Fontanilla Valencia, fondly known as Nena, peacefully passed away at age 95, in San Francisco, CA. She has joined her adored husband, Juan, as well as her parents, Arcadio and Severina, and her siblings Maria, Manuel, Prima, Teodora, Juan, and Benita. She leaves behind her children, Eric and Barbara, their spouses, Elizabeth and Mark, and her loving grandchildren, Aisha, Brandon, Erica, and Nathaniel. Our Mom was born in Batac, Ilocos Norte, Philippines on July 3, 1925. By the time she was the age of seven, her parents were already deceased and she was raised by her brothers and sisters. She survived the atrocities of World War II and decided early in her life that education was the key to success. She received her general studies degree in education from The Philippine Women’s University (Class of 1950) and her Bachelor of Science in Education from Far Eastern University (Class of 1953), later becoming an English teacher and Boy Scout leader. In May 1955, our Dad returned to the Philippines, married Mom and brought her to San Francisco where they temporarily stayed with our dearest Uncle Benny and Manang Virgie Almazan on Cole Street before permanently residing in the flat on Golden Gate Avenue where she subsequently raised and nurtured our family. In the early 1970's, she taught herself to type and found a job at Crum and Forster Insurance in the billing and collections department. In the 1980's, she became a licensed child care provider. She was a proud member of Annac Ti Batac, Inc., International Circle, Inc., The Filipino Women’s Club of San Francisco, and The Filipino American Association of Star of the Sea (FAASTAR), holding the roles of Mistress of Ceremonies, speech writer, Secretary, and Treasurer. Mom enjoyed singing and dancing the tango and cha-cha with Dad. She was elegant and fashionable (colorful ternos and beaded dresses and jackets were her specialties) and spent time to maintain her coiffed beehive hairdo and finely manicured fingernails. She unexpectedly became a home design influencer (who can forget the voluminous window drapes and crystal chandeliers that adorned more than just our house?). She loved her collection of cymbidium orchids and was nicknamed the “orchid whisperer.” After the passing of Dad in 2000, and before dementia took a hold of her mind and body, Mom remained social and active and frequented the local Senior Center where she explored her creative side with various arts and crafts. During her time at AlmaVia of San Francisco, where she spent the last ten years of her life, she made many friends and was cherished by the staff who attended to her. Mom, we will miss your distinctive laugh, your delicious pancit and lumpia, and your valuable advice on health (“watch your cholesterol”), career (“always study hard”), and finance (“save for a rainy day”). We love you and will miss you dearly. Our family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this difficult time. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the dedicated caregivers and staff with “The Gardens” at AlmaVia of San Francisco and VITAS Healthcare. Their compassion and attentiveness while Mom was in memory care and hospice were a comfort to all of us. . Due to Covid-19 restrictions, services will be private. However, the memorial service will be livestreamed on Friday, February 12, 2021, at 10am at the following URL: https://vimeo.com/510909782/49af6359cd Our beloved Mother will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.