Esther F. Santillo

SANTILLO, RICCI, DEGIDIO

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 4/21/2021 at 20:47:31

Esther F. Santillo, 98, of Dubuque died Saturday, April 17, 2021. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Friday at St. Columbkille’s Catholic Church followed by Mass of Christian Burial Friday at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, masks will be required. The service will be live streamed on the Egelhof, Siegert and Casper Funeral Home Facebook page.

Esther was born March 15, 1923 in the family home in Comstock, WI, the daughter of Michael and Margarita (Ricci) DeGidio.

On June 9, 1945 she married Samuel “Sam” Santillo in Cumberland, Wisconsin. She and Sam moved from Minneapolis, Minn. to Dubuque in 1955 so Sam could set up the Flexsteel spring division. Sam preceded her in death on Oct 27, 1985.

Esther was a very active member of St. Columbkille’s church for over 65 years. She helped with the lunch program, baked and cooked for funeral dinners, was in the pen pal program with the school, visited the sick, was a den mother, and was a member of the Rosary Society.

Esther stayed home to raise her family and loved to cook, bake and garden.

She is survived by three children, Rita A. (Joseph) Snyder of Palatine, Ill., Michael A. (Anita) Santillo of Dubuque, and Regina M. (Greg) Meister of San Diego, Calf.; five grandchildren, Vincent (Gloria) Snyder of Garrison, Iowa, Bridget (Paul) Joppa of Hopkins, Minn., Giovanna M. Santillo of Brooklyn, NY, Nicholas Santillo of Dubuque and Sarah Meister of Chicago, Ill.; and five great grandchildren, Alex and Ben Joppa, and Gianna, Jocelyn and Johanna Snyder.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and her 11 siblings.

The Egelhof, Siegert and Casper Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Esther Santillo Memorial Fund.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Unity Point Health-Finley Hospital and the staff at Eagle Point Place for their love and care.