George Garcia Santos, Sr.Poughkeepsie, NY - George Garcia Santos Sr., a 54-year resident of the City of Poughkeepsie, NY, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 22, 2017, surrounded by this loving family and friends at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. George was born on July 22, 1939 in St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, to Jacinta Garcia Santos and Geraldo Santos, who have predeceased him. He was the 4th child of eight children of this union. He is also predeceased by his brothers, Jesus, Geraldo Jr, and Adolfo and his sisters, Carmen and Juanita. George is survived by his two siblings, Mary (the oldest), and Martin (3rdchild). He grew up on Hill Street, Christiansted, St. Croix and was educated in Christiansted Catholic School System. He worked with his father, Geraldo, mostly in St. Thomas, USVI, where he met the love of his life, Linda Bryan. George moved to Poughkeepsie and married on June 8, 1963. They recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. Of this union, they had three children, Felicia Maria, Anita Marie, and George Jr. His wife and children survive him at home.George, known by most of us as Papi, Daddy, Uncle, and Mr. George, was a kind and giving man. He was a dedicated employee as a Housekeeper and Spanish Interpreter at Saint Francis Hospital (now known as Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital at Westchester Medical Center), retiring in 2002 after 39 years of service. He loved baseball (a true Yankees fan) and was a pitcher and outfielder when the hospital had a team for competitions. He also coached kids within the neighborhood wherever we lived to play baseball and football. He would offer the kids on hot summer days what his island calls freco (shaved ice with West Indian syrup). He personally shaved the ice with his two hands and shared it with all who came for some. He also took pride in preserving the traditions and music of his Virgin Islands heritage, especially the 50 year old bottle of guava berry rum that was started by his wife's grandmother. George was a jack of all trades who loved to stay busy. He would help paint and repair homes, fixed kids bikes, painted paintings, sculpted ducks from soap bars, built go-carts, numchucks, and slingshots from simple wood pieces, do landscaping for some of the local doctors within the area, watch birds and small animals come and go, gardening for himself (flowers and vegetables), sea fishing and local fishing. He tinkered around with repairing cars and also found pleasure in keeping his home spotless. George was a Mason brother of the Nimrod Lodge in Newburgh, NY.George was a family oriented man who loved all its members and would offer the shirt of his back to ensure you had what you needed. He was a loving sensitive spirit in that way. Children took to him as their own and he cherished those memories as he watched them grow older and accomplished their wishes. In addition to his children, George's pride and joy were his grandchildren, Imina Sade, Jacinto Xavier, and Belinda Mi'chele (three great grandchildren) who also survive him. His adoring mother-in-law, Ms. Mildred Vaughn, survives him in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI. His precious sisters-in-law of, Marcelle Santos of St. Croix, USVI, Cynthia Benjamin of Poughkeepsie, NY, and Avonel Joseph of St. Thomas, USVI; and his marvelous cousin-in-law, Unah Turnbull of St. Thomas, USVI, survive him in addition to his godson and goddaughters, countless cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-great and great-great-great nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters in-law, other in-laws, and a host of wonderful people who he called friends and extended family members. George is also predeceased by many family members and close buddies as well.We will truly miss this extraordinary sincere gentle soul who was our rock and our foundation. We know God loved him so very much that he was called home because his room was ready and he is surrounded by love in Heaven.George's viewing will be held at Rhodes Funeral Home, 43 Fairview Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York, on Friday, June 30, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 161 Mansion Street, Poughkeepsie, NY, with The Reverend Tyler Jones, Pastor, presiding. Entombment will immediately follow at Poughkeepsie Rural Mausoleum. Reception for the family will be at St. Paul's Episcopal Church after services.In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.