Carlita Offril Rubia

Carlita Rubia — VIEWLOGIES

Carlita “Lita” Rubia, age 70 of Salinas, California, formerly of Daly City, California passed away suddenly, but peacefully on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024, at Salinas Valley Health.

She was born on August 13, 1953, at home on Tomas Claudio Street in Baclaran, Metro Manila, Philippines. She is 1 of 10 children born to Rosario and Carlos Offril. Carlos passed away in 1987 at the age of 73. Rosario recently celebrated her 97th birthday in March.

Lita had nine siblings, all born and raised in the Philippines. Her father was a US Army Veteran, and her mother was a homemaker. Carlita moved to San Francisco in 1972 at 19 with several of her siblings. They lived in the Bernal Heights and Mission neighborhoods. After marriage, she moved to Visitacion Valley, before settling in Daly City in the early 80s. She met her first husband Reynaldo “Rey” Magtoto in San Francisco in the mid-70s, and they married in 1977, having one daughter named Chastity. After Rey’s passing in 1984, she married her high school sweetheart Manuel “Butch” Rubia in 1987 and gave birth to another daughter, Carissa, in 1988.

She was educated at Baclaran Elementary School and was part of the Experimental Class (considered an advanced class). She attended Malate Catholic School (high school) in Baclaran.

Lita was proud of her career as an Executive Assistant for 35 years at the law firm Brobeck, Phleger, and Harrison in San Francisco. Upon Brobeck’s closing, she transitioned to the law firm Morgan Lewis. She gained several life-long friends from her time at Brobeck.

Though she lived in Salinas, California with her husband Butch, for the last two years, she considered Daly City her home. Lita spent her retirement in Salinas, along with her sister Sha, caring for their Mamang (mother). In the Philippines, Lita grew up on Cuatro De Julio Street in Baclaran, Metro Manila where she met Butch. 

Carlita supported her hometown in the Philippines by providing donations of food or other goods. Additionally, when family or close friends needed a place to live — whether newly from the Philippines or state-side — she generously offered her own home.

Her family, especially her children and grandchildren brought her joy and made her proud. She was looking forward to her eldest granddaughter’s college graduation in May 2024. Beyond family, she loved fashion, current trends, and pop culture. In the 70s, she designed and made her own clothes. Lita loved shopping both in real life and online. She enjoyed parties, party planning, and dressing up. Lita had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. She was often silly, making playful jokes and laughing with her husband, daughters, granddaughters, son-in-law, and sister, Sha.

She had a passion for cooking, refining her tried and true recipes, and exploring new ones. People often asked her to make her signature shrimp dish, spaghetti, or taro leaves dish. She was a good investigator and highly organized. She loved researching and figuring out what happened or how something worked. Lita was proud to be a Filipino-American and had strong personal convictions regarding US and Philippine politics. She enjoyed watching true crime shows, movies, and her shows on The Filipino Channel.

Lita is survived by her husband Manuel “Butch” Rubia and her children Chastity Yusta (Ramon Yusta), Carissa Rubia, and her grandchildren Jaelyn Yusta (22) and Rennyn Yusta (15). She is survived by her mother Rosario Offril, eight siblings and their spouses: Milagros (Baby), Nestor Cruz; Ligaya (Nene), Carlos Lagandaon; Rebecca (Becky), Terry Liguid; Carlos (Jun), Carla Offril; Conrado (Nonoy), Prima Offril; Sharon (Sha), Eugene Lee; Judith Garcia (Dit), Vener Julian; and Carmelo (Milo), Karen Offril. Her brother-in-law Art Aguilar. Her 40+ nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews from her siblings. Her step-daughter Nicole Rubia-Bulldis, her daughter Celeste; in-laws, Eleazar and Efricina Rubia, Racquel and Michael Bautista, and their children. The members of the Magtoto family (in-laws). Lita is also survived by her extended family in California, Washington state, and the Philippines.

She is predeceased by her father Carlos Offril (1987), first husband Rey Magtoto (1984), sister Dolly Aguilar (2019), her brother-in-law Jussar Garcia (2022), her in-laws Cristino (2000) and Josefina Rubia (2021) and two beloved dachshunds, Sparky (1996) and Nike (2016).

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 9 am at Tiffany Chapel at Cypress Lawn Funeral Home, 1370 El Camino Real, Colma, CA 94014. The interment of cremated remains will follow in the All Saints Mausoleum Chapel of Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, 1500 Mission Rd., Colma, CA 94014. A reception and continued celebration of Lita’s life will be held at 1 pm (after Holy Cross) at Coconut Bay Thai Restaurant, 1107 Howard Ave, Burlingame, CA 94010.