Obituary: Genara (Soto) Santiago, Active Member of the Hispanic Community at St. Charles Church

Obituary from Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home.

Genara (Soto) Santiago passed away at her daughter’s home surrounded by her beloved family, early Thursday, September 25th. The beloved wife of the late Eustaquio Santiago, she was eighty-eight years of age.

Born in Arroyo, Puerto Rico, she was the daughter of the late Froilan and Mauricia (Alicea) Soto. One of four children, she was raised and educated in Puerto Rico. In her twenties she married the love of her life, Eustaquio Santiago. While she was assisting her aging parents, her husband and several of the children moved to Woburn, where they made their home. In her thirties Genera moved to Woburn, where she and her husband continued raising their family.

A woman of extraordinary faith, Genera became actively involved with the Hispanic Community at St. Charles Church. Each and every morning she attended Mass, and any plans that the Hispanic Community planned for Church activities, she was present to do whatever it was that needed to be done.

All throughout her eighty-eight years, Genara was dedicated to her family and her faith. Through her family and church, she was introduced and became a very loyal friend to many here in the community. A rather quiet woman, she remained dedicated and attentive to her family. Kind and gentle was her nature, but she could often and happily become a jokester! The door to her home was always open to those in need and she always kept a place at the table for those who were in need of a meal or even just companionship.

Although Genara never learned to read, she knew the Bible, inside and out. Every day of her life, she lived what the Bible taught. Along with her great faith, sustaining her throughout each and every day, Genara was blessed to have the dedication and love of her very loving family.

Genara was sadly predeceased by her husband, Eustaquio; her children, Agustin, Manuel, Antonio, and Maximina Santiago; and her brothers, Genaro, Mingo, and Tomas Soto.

She is lovingly survived by her children, Domingo Santiago and his wife Eleonor of Lawrence, Margarita Santiago, Lucila Jaramillo and her husband Javier of FL, Carmelo Santiago and his wife Ester of NC, Johnny Santiago and his wife Lucy of Lawrence, Jenny Santiago and her husband Angel Diaz of Woburn, James Santiago of Boston, Maria Rodriguez and her husband Felipe of Woburn, and Rafael Roman and his wife Ramona of Lawrence; her daughters-in-law, Martina Santiago of Puerto Rico and Olga Santiago of Lawrence; more than twenty grandchildren and over ten great-grandchildren; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be held in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn on Tuesday, September 30th at 10 a.m. Interment in Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to call at St. Charles Lower Church on Monday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Services are under the direction of the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn.