Clairita was born on April 10th, 1946 in San Luis, Philippines. She was the daughter of Remedios and Gervacio Buendicho and had seven siblings - her sisters Lilia, Gloria, Nida and Helen and her brothers Arturo, Danilo and Dante. Growing up in a household filled with love, music and happiness helped shape Claire into being the joyous and friendly person we all knew her to be.

As a teen, Claire was an excellent swimmer and diver, and a great singer. She and her sister, Glo, would volunteer to sing at local events including funeral services for families in her province. Her musical talents eventually led to her becoming part of the Department of Public Highways Choir with whom she performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. After graduating from University of the East in Manila she moved to Tokyo, Japan for work.

Claire met her future husband Glorino Gallardo while he was stationed as a soldier in the Navy in Yokosuka, Japan. Claire married Glory on January 6th, 1976 in Glory’s hometown of Zambales. One year later in 1977 her son, Giovanni, was born. She eventually settled with her family in San Diego, California. The family continued to grow as her son, Jeremiah, was born in 1987 and her daughter, Catherine, was born in 1991. She was a wonderful mother to her children and always made sure they were happy, supported and cared for.

A wonderful chef and party host, Claire loved entertaining guests and sharing her excellent cooking with everyone. Whether it was pancit, lumpia, or leche flan - her cooking was always top notch and surpassed restaurant-quality food. She was also incredibly skilled in accounting, budgeting and everything with Excel. She studied and became a CPA starting as temp at Maxwell and made her way up as one of the top accountants at Ward North America. She also independently prepared taxes as she knew the ins and outs of the income tax process and took any opportunity to help her friends and family with her expertise. Her professional career was always strong as she continued to be involved in several organizations later in life, where she won numerous awards for her work.

In her free time, Claire loved gardening, cooking new recipes and spending time with her loved ones. She would always prioritize the needs of others. She was devoted to her faith and strongly believed in showing kindness, patience and forgiveness to others even in the toughest of times. Claire’s love and generosity will always live on through the many lives she has touched.