Aurelio Paras Santos Jr.

Aurelio P. Santos Jr., foodie, pristine dresser, car enthusiast, nature and animal lover, beloved family man, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at 10:30am listening to one of his favorite bands, the Bee Gees.

Our Papa loved to dance to their songs, the Village People’s, Tom Jones’, ABBA’s, among others. One can say we take after our Papa with our own skillful dance moves and swag that can only be inherited. Our Mama and Papa loved to boogie and would have celebrated their 63rd Wedding Anniversary next month. Papa did boogie his way to heaven on that fateful morning.

Our Papa was a foodie even before the term went viral and before Instagrammers and Tik Tok influencers took to the internet with pictures of their food and exalt restaurant reviews. Our father would simply take us to food places that he tries or hears from friends and family. His favorites are still among our favorites ranging from Ambos Mundos formerly known as Sunwa, Aristocrat, Mamon Luk, San Jacinto, Jonas in Manila to Tung Kee, Chef P’s, New York Chinese in America, all of which are still our favorites. New York Chinese is really good in Las Vegas, whatever the name suggests. There is not one single restaurant we still go to now that was not introduced to us by our Papa. He was a true foodie that goes to Palengke at 7am, excited for our Mama to prepare his requested home-made dishes for the next few days. “Nora’s Kitchen” is what he endearingly refers to our Mama’s delicious cooking made from the heart. “Nora’s Kitchen pa rin!” he would exclaim after eating at our favorite restaurants.

Our Papa had a green thumb and was a nature lover. He was the sole caretaker of our houseplants watering the front and backyard trees tirelessly. He designed our front yard landscaping and would add rocks he gathered from his daily nature walks. He even impressed our neighbor who wanted to know the landscape company he used. Oh, he was proud hearing that! Unlike Sisyphus himself, collecting rocks and adding them to his garden ended up as Papa’s landscaping masterpiece, according to the same neighbor, an act so fruitful and full of love for his family and home.

Our papa taught us to plant and take care of mango trees as children in our family Tugatog Farm in Bulacan, Philippines. We all had chickens on the farm where we named our own chickens. We would cry in protest when one of our beloved chickens get “accidentally” served at the dinner table, as we opposed to eat or partake on such feasts.

Our papa, if he is not seen watching nature shows, he would be watching musicals on repeat; Mamma Mia and Sound of Music were his favorites. Our Papa was truly a child at heart opting to watch The Lion King or Lilo and Stitch in his local movie theater where he worked over the newest big budget releases. Action, Western, and Philippine movies such as Panday and FPJ were on auto-record in our house DVR for his later viewing.

Our Papa taught us all how to be kind and selfless. His love for animals is known by all. Our house cat in Manila named Muning, was rescued by him and my grandfather, Daddy, when it was stuck in a jeepney in Luneta Park. Muning would constantly be scolded by Papa when she would leave our house for weeks and then come back pregnant. About a year ago, he took in as his own, a stray cat, he named Lucius. He would play with Lucius and was one of the catalysts for Lucius to trust us and his newfound home. Lucius would regularly visit during the last months of papa’s life but stayed around the clock on the weeks leading to his death. An unusual behavior for a stray. Back in the Philippines, he has a beloved farm dog named Bugtong, who is his walking partner as he surveyed the farm when visiting it. He referred to all dogs as Bugtong even though there was no hint of any resemblance to his actual Bugtong.

Our Papa loves his family dearly. He would drive 5 kids tirelessly to UST elementary and high school and then fetch us all afterwards with Mamon Luk Siopaos and Sunkist Tetrapak drinks waiting in the back seat even though there are drivers available in our hospital to do his daily fatherly tasks. He did show some tough love though. If you’re not in the car and ready, he would leave to teach us a valuable lesson of being on time and respectful of others’ efforts and good deeds. He loves it when his family are all together, even in the car. We learned the value of family bonding early on.

Our Papa not only instilled the family love, but also, the love and passion for cars. He taught us to appreciate cars, classic and new. He takes pride and joy in his car, making sure it’s the cleanest car on the road. He can name all car make and models on TV, and in movies, from the Ford Model T and onwards. He would tell us funny anecdotes on a car he or his family owned or once drove. He would drive us through the very congested Manila roads in our hospital ambulance with the sirens blaring just to get his children to Araneta’s COD quicker for the sidewalk Christmas Light Show surrounded by traffic.

Our Papa would also take us picnicking at Luneta Park with our Mama’s homecooked meals. He would allow us to pick our own bikes to rent at the park, making sure we negotiate well and make sound choices as the bikes for rent at Luneta Park are still some of the worst bikes rented on earth. However, despite negotiating, Papa would still leave generous tips to the workers teaching us to be kind, thoughtful and not stingy.

Papa worked at Red Rock Theatre collecting tickets. He worked there for over 18 yrs, after retiring at TSA. He’s unstoppable. He was proud and loved that job at Red Rock. He worked until the day of his accident. He fainted while cooking his favorite Fish Balls, his lunch, for when he goes to work. He accidentally burned himself that eventually lead to his untimely death. He taught us good work ethics, not to call in sick for no reason. He would not miss a workday even if there was a celebration, always attending the celebration either before or after work. He was 86 years old and was the only one in the movie theater granted to have a chair as he ripped movie theater tickets from patrons’ hands before entering the cinemas. He truly instilled in all of us the great value of honest hard work and for always being proactively busy. While he valued his hard-earned money, he is again a very generous person and has a big heart always helping someone in need of money.

Our Papa was a great father, husband, and grandfather as well brother and uncle/grand uncle to our beloved, even extended families. Tito Boy as he was known by all was a good dresser, his children all take after him, some folks say. We would even “steal” clothes from his closet to wear for ourselves just to be asked what great new Thrift Retro Store the clothes were bought from. Our Papa was also generous that he eventually gives his clothes and shoes to us when he sees us wearing them. Imitation is indeed the highest form of flattery. Papa taught us to take good care of clothes and shoes as “things” are accumulated through hard work and big fruitful dreams/goals and should not be taken for granted according to Papa. Our Papa kept every shoebox, and he would return his shoes in the same box after wearing them. He arrives at every occasion as pristine as possible honoring the party and celebrants with his carefully put together outfits he spent days laying out on his bed and taking time to make sure he honors celebrants and respects the attendees with his clean and sleek on-time presence. He detested “Filipino Time.” He did not smoke or drink: you would see him at any party with only a diet coke in hand.

Our Papa will be greatly missed. But it is not a goodbye, it is til we meet again.

We ask you to join us in person or via Livestream as we celebrate our Papa’s loving, amazing, fruitful, admirable and well-lived life.