Obituary of Maria Morales

Our beloved mother, Maria Altagracia Morales – Santiago (Tata, Ancita, Doña  Altagracia, Mamina), aged 88, passed away peacefully on Good Friday, April 18th, 2025, in Riverdale, New York.

Altagracia was born in El Ceibo, Dominican Republic, to Juan Morales and Adela Rodriguez on November 21st, 1937. She grew up in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and was the eldest of ten siblings. In the 1960s, she migrated to New York City, where she worked as a factory worker and met her beloved husband and lifetime partner, Mariano Santiago. She can now be reunited with him for eternity.

Today, we celebrate her life with heartfelt gratitude. We cherish her smile, gentle demeanor, unwavering faith, and incredible quiet strength. After losing her husband, our mother devoted her life to helping Jimmy and Maria raise their three granddaughters, embracing the role of a third parent. She taught them the true values of grace (like her name), compassion, humility, kindness, and selflessness. Tata was the one who would let her granddaughters sneak into her bed, cuddle with them, and spoil them because nothing was more important to her than those precious moments. After school, they came home to a loving grandma who would make them freshly squeezed orange juice and remind them to finish their homework before mom and dad arrived.

Altagracia always told her daughter Maria and son Carlos that she would love whoever they loved, and she lived by it. She gave unconditional love to her daughter-in-law Sibyl and son-in-law Jimmy, treating them as her own. As a bonus, Doña Altagracia, or Mamina, blended seamlessly with their families, who graciously embraced her as one of their own. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from all who have reached out with their stories of the moments they shared with her. We are touched by all the stories shared—whether it was a “Cafecito,” a talk, or how she always embraced all with a smile - without judgment. These memories fill our hearts with joy. Our mom was always our ‘plus one’ at all family events, holidays, and parties. She was included by us and welcomed by all. Everyone who knew us knew her and loved her and today, our hearts are full. 

After a long battle with Parkinson's, she had many opportunities to let go. Every weekend for the past four-plus years, every time we left town for a few days, we thought it was goodbye. We spent every second with her the best we could—we laughed, danced, hugged, and prayed. 

Our beloved mother was a woman of great faith, and she left us on Good Friday. At exactly 9:50 p.m. that night, God gained an angel. She never wanted us to worry about her and only let go when she knew we were all in our happy places. When we least expected, our little wise lady slipped away; she was a sneaky one. She wouldn’t have had it any other way. She knew that her job here on Earth was done and moved on to guard us from above. 

Altagracia will be greatly missed by her son, Carlos Santiago, and daughter-in-law Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago of New York City; daughter, Maria Santiago-de León, son-in-law Jimmy de León, and their daughters Miranda, Laura, and Natalia de León of Scarsdale, NY. She is also survived by her siblings, Haydee, Miriam, Milady, William, Brunilda, and Rafael Morales; sisters-in-law Mayra, Silvia, and Tita Morales; and her nephews and nieces: Evelyn, Cathy, Connie, Aris, Madeline, Jeanette, Frank, Humberto, Mayrelis, Javier, Victor Hugo, Ruben, Melvin, and Cesar Morales. She is preceded in death by her husband, Mariano Santiago, and siblings, Victor, Julio, and Martha. She will be missed by an endless list of family and friends.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Santiago family, the de León-Pimentel Family, and the Dina-ala/Villanueva/Alcantara Families, who embraced Carlos’ and Maria’s mother as their own.

Carlos & Sibyl Santiago

Maria, Jimmy, Miranda, Laura, Natalia de León