Emma Santos

Emma Santos passed away at the age of 87 in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, January 19, 2024. She was born February 20, 1936 as Maria Emma Bocanegra Rodriguez to Jose Bocanegra and Griselda Bocanegra Rodriguez in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

She is preceded in death by both her parents and siblings Alfredo Bocanegra, Carmen Bocanegra, Jesus Bocanegra, Jose Bocanegra, Angelina Tellez Bocanegra and Guillermina Salazar Bocanegra and most recently, her husband Rolando Santos in 2021. She was the youngest of seven children.

Emma is survived by her children Rolando (Kathy) Santos, Jose A. Santos, Lourdes (Rick) Gutierrez, Javier (Cecilia) Santos, and George Santos; 13 grandchildren, Alexis (Michael) Song, Kara (Jeremy) Breakall, Ricky Gutierrez, Sharon (Adam) Bernal, Jaulton Santos, Sharissa (Mathew) Neese, Alyssa (Gino) Altamura, Christian (Brighton) Santos, Makayla Santos, Brandi Santos, Bethany Gutierrez, Anissa Santos, Christina Gutierrez; and three great-grandchildren.

Emma was known for her quiet spirit, warm personality and big smile. She loved listening to music and writing down lyrics to her favorite songs. She was a devoted Christian and student of the Bible which she read diligently for the last 45 years. Having lost her father at a very young age and remembering the challenges of her mother’s widowhood, Emma prepared for her future and completed preparatory high school in Mexico. After she and husband, Rolando, moved to California, she found her first job assembling PC boards which would be the beginning of her lifelong work in electronics manufacturing. Emma was a recognized employee and received several awards for her dedicated service at Rockwell International in El Paso, Texas from which she retired in the mid 1990’s. Rolando and Emma moved several times during their 64-year marriage before making San Antonio their home.

Despite her busy schedule as a full-time working mother, she always made time to prepare homecooked meals for her family, baked wonderful cakes and pastries, participated in potlucks and even took up a new hobby – she taught herself to knit and was very good at it!

Emma was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and trusted friend. She will be remembered for her kindness and loyalty by all who knew and loved her and will be greatly missed.