Robert Matias Uytingco-Petty Officer First Class

Robert Uytingco, 87, born on August 19, 1937, passed away April 29, 2025. He resided in Pleasent Hill, CA at the time of his passing. Arrangements are under the care of Forest Lawn, Covina Hills, CA.

My father, Robert, was born August 19, 1937 in the Philippines. There were a total of 11 siblings and that included my father and their Parents(father & mother). My father was the 4th oldest child. He started working in the Philippines as a young boy to help his parents & siblings with expenses as they had a huge family & they had struggles financially as they lost their Family Business and became POOR and my father NEVER STOPPED helping financially until his death. My father left his parents/siblings and went to College hours & hours away in the Philippines & obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He continued to work & to pay for his own education/college and was still sending monies to his parents to help support as they were POOR. He believed in pursuing a College Degree that it will help to provide opportunities for him to help support his parents/siblings financially.

Then my father joined the US NAVY in 1962 at the age of 24 years old to help support his parents & siblings FINANCIALLY and by joining the US NAVY he sacrificed his life & had to leave his family as he joined the US NAVY and didn’t see his parents/siblings for a long time. Then my father went back to the Philippines as he married his beautiful sweetheart, his wife, LUISINIA, who is my mother. By my father joining the US NAVY, it gave him the opportunity to PETITION his wife to come to the UNITED STATES Of AMERICA. My father was able to PETITION some of his siblings & his wife’s family to come to AMERICA. Then by the family coming to AMERICA, the EXTENDED FAMILIES were able to Petition their families to come to the USA to hopefully provide better opportunities for everyone to have a good life & financially.

When my father married my mother in the Philippines, their 1st child/daughter(Shirley) was born in the Philippines then they had their 2nd child/daughter(Romella)born in Rhode Island & their 3rd child/daughter (Yvette) born in HAWAII. We were all BORN in different places because my father was STATIONED all over the world as he was in the US NAVY. The Family grew & we were now the Family of Dad, Mom, & the 3 Daughters then continued growing & now 3 Son-in-Laws & the 3 grandsons(Gerald, Ryan, Sean Uytingco). His wife/my mother PASSED AWAY in Feb 2020 during COVID time. My parents were married for over 55 years.

One of my father’s job in the US NAVY was an Assistant CHEF. He learned to cook other foods from other countries around the world than Filipino Food. During the War as he was in the US NAVY, the “CAPTAIN” requested for my father to prepare all his meals as they were in WAR and so my father did as ordered by the CAPTAIN. He SALUTED to the “CAPTAIN”.

My father retired from the US NAVY as he served 20 YEARS. Then he continued to work after Retirement with the US NAVY and worked & Retired from Pacific Bell Company. 2 Retirements and he did that to help his family and his family in the Philippines.

Growing up, my dad & mom, night & day and sometimes no sleep, would always cook meals/food for us as we always ate together. My dad a huge passion for cooking as he learned a lot in the NAVY. During any occasions like family parties, birthdays, Christmas, friends’ occasions, neighbors, and Assistants working on my parents house, meeting new people etc, my father would always cook and bring food for everyone and so much food everyone can eat for days. A “FEAST”.

***My dad believed that Food is LIFE & God will share is forever Blessings.***

My father, Robert Matias Uytingco, believed that by sacrificing his life, will give more life & opportunities for others to enjoy. He was so giving & sharing til his last food & penny on the table.

My father & I held hands as he closed his eyes & took his last breath. My father is an ANGEL and now in Heaven with his wife, my mother.

Thank you,

Yvette Uytingco(daughter)