Valerio Ernesto Escobar

Valerio Ernesto Datangel Escobar, 88, of Los Angeles, transitioned peacefully on the morning of May 6, 2022 surrounded and comforted by family. He was born February 5, 1934 in Manila, Philippines to the late Ernesto and Lucila Escobar. Valerio was preceded in death by his sister, Engracia Escobar Borja, and brother, Hector, and is survived by his other siblings Lucilita, Ephraim, Eva Llaguno and Edwin, and by a plethora of nephews and nieces.

Val -- as he was known by friends and colleagues, and Mangco or Tito Val by family -- dedicated his time on earth to the art and science of building design. His life's work was a commitment to a passion in design and architecture that was notably rich and rewarding. A '55 graduate of UC Berkeley School of Architecture, Val first went to work for a small firm on Sutter Street in San Francisco. He then relocated to Los Angeles in '59 and brought his skills to Albert C. Martin & Associates where he developed concepts for structures and turned those concepts into plans that eventually became structural parts of Macy's, the May Company and Fedco Stores across Southern California. Val also oversaw the completion of hotel and shopping center projects in Pittsburgh and Cleveland owned by the DeBartolo Corporation. Val was a world-wide traveler and took the opportunity to work during a two-year stint at the London office of Albert C. Martin. While touring on the autobahns of Germany, a '65 Porsche Cabriolet caught his eye in Stuttgart, so he bought it and shipped her back home!

Val was a 51-year resident of the Silverlake district and in his regimented time, he could be found at group exercise classes or early-morning TurboKickBox sessions at 24 Hour Fitness. He was extremely generous with his time and impacted many youths by mentoring them in basic math at the Hollywood YMCA.

Even though Val was a long-time Angeleno, he left his sports-heart in San Francisco. In a recent conversation with family about the SF Giants, he expressed one of his fondest memories was the iconic broadcast call by Russ Hodges: "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! ..."

Val will be greatly missed and his wit, intellectual acuity and sense of humor will long be a source of loving and spirited conversations among family. "Mabuhay", Val!

Donations can be made to UC Berkeley School of Architecture and checks made payable to UC Berkeley Foundation, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 401, Berkeley, CA 94704. Please note the gift is for the College of Environmental Design Fund Code # N7503 in memory of Valerio E. Escobar.

A Celebration of Life memorial in San Francisco is being planned and will be announced soon.