Santos S. Aranda, 73, passed from this life and entered eternal rest after a short stay at the Amsterdam Home Care in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, August 22, 2024, under the loving care of his brother, Mel and the caring palliative and hospice staff. He was a lifelong resident in New York and worked in food management services, but also worked providing Social Services for AIDS patients. He was born in Adrian, Michigan on November 1, 1950, to Casimiro and Petra Aranda.
While growing up in Adrian, Santos attended catholic schools and was in the last class to graduate from Adrian Catholic Central. He attended Siena Heights University (College) while living in Toledo where he worked for General Motors. When the prospect arose to move to the New York City area, he decided to venture out for the big city, and it was there that he made his home.
Santos was a lifelong learner, with a particular love of history. He was quite the authoritarian on the history of New York City and on many other subjects, imparting his wealth of information with family. He had a love for genealogy, researching and documenting his family history. He loved conversing with people and had a profound appreciation for his Hispanic heritage, culture, music and the arts. Santos was a prayerful man, attending Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and had a special devotion to the Virgin de Guadalupe. Santos was known for his generosity and thoughtfulness to family and friends. He took pride in presenting his professionalism, yet he spoke quietly and from the heart. His gentleness and love for family will be cherished memories for all.
To cherish Santos’ memory, he leaves behind his mother, Petra Aranda; brothers, Lody (Elsie) Aranda, Mel Aranda, Ted (Anna) Aranda, Casey Aranda; sister, Stella Guerrero and many nieces, nephews and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his father, Casimiro Aranda; and sisters, Vicky Gonzalez, Lucy (Paul) Solis and great-nephew, Isaiah Gonzalez.
Visitation for Santos will be held at the Tecumseh Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes, 313 W. Pottawatamie Street, Tecumseh, MI, on Thursday, September 5, 2024, from 3:00-5:00 p.m., and 6:00-8:00 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Michael Newman, OSFS on Friday, September 6, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family Parish, St. Mary Campus, in Adrian, 305 Division Street, Adrian, MI. There will be a one-hour visitation at the church before the mass, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Adrian. For those who cannot join us in person, the mass will be livestreamed on the Holy Family Parish Adrian Facebook page.
The Aranda family gives special thanks to the Amsterdam Home Care palliative staff for the excellent care they provided to Santos. They would also like to express their deepest appreciation to the hospice staff for the compassionate care they devoted to Santos. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the family.