Heliodoro Mojica Espineli's Obituary
Heliodoro Mojica Espineli, fondly referred to as “Ted”, was born on July 3rd 1928 in Indang, Cavite the Philippines. He passed away quietly in his sleep on the evening of June 2nd 2017 in the company of his sons.Ted was a loving and compassionate husband, father and grandfather. In his professional life, he was an accomplished dentist, military veteran, insurance professional and entrepreneur. Ted is survived by his sons Reynaldo and Christopher, his daughters-in-law Betty and Cindy, and his grandchildren Erica, Karina, Evan and Elicia. He was preceded by his loving wife Balbina “Bing” Espineli; his brothers Nicanor, Higinio and Ebodio; and his sisters Severina, Felipa, Josefa and Adoracion.Ted was the eighth child and youngest son of Reynaldo Espineli and Gerada Mojica. He had three brothers and four sisters. His formative years were set against the violent backdrop of World War II where he experienced first hand the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, its liberation, and subsequent independence from America. Like many of his peers, he joined the insurgency against the bloody Japanese occupation. He received recognition for his service by the United States Government as part of a special group of Filipino war veterans recently awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by the U.S. Congress.Ted went on to complete his bachelors degree, and then obtained the professional degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He practiced dentistry afterwards but in search for adventure, soon joined the United States Navy in 1953. On April 14, 1957, in the most important decision of his life, Ted married Balbina Nazareno, of Naic, Cavite. Bing and Ted immigrated to the United States in 1962, and then moved to Taiwan in 1966. They returned to San Diego in 1970, and finally settled in the South Bay. In 1976, it was in San Diego at the Naval Dental Training Center where Ted eventually retired from the Navy. He then started a second career in insurance, and together with Bing, effectively managed their real estate investments.During Ted’s eight-year naval tour of duty in Japan he studied judo and aikido, which fueled a lifelong interest in the martial arts. His main passion however, was his family, raising his sons and taking care of his wife. He also enjoyed gardening. In particular, he planted flowers, fruit trees and vegetables. He always felt that the experience grounded him while at the same time nourishing his soul and allowing him to share his harvest with friends and family.Ted was a Catholic with a deep spiritual sense and religious curiosity. This curiosity sparked his pursuit of postgraduate religious studies. Community service was also important to him, and together with his wife Bing, he was one of the founders of the Naic Association of the San Diego, Inc., a non-profit philanthropic organization providing scholarships to indigent students and engaging in civic projects in San Diego and Naic, his wife Bing’s hometown in the Philippines.Ted always believed in the importance of enlightened self-awareness while maintaining a vision beyond one’s self. He believed that based on this foundation, an individual could achieve anything with the proper mental attitude, a strong work ethic and God’s help. He will always have a special place in the hearts and memories of his family, friends and community. We take comfort in knowing that he is now with his wife, Bing, at the side of our Lord in heaven watching over us and always willing to provide that timely encouragement and intercession on our behalf.
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