A Life Lived: Sarah Santiago-Rivera instilled in her children a love for prayer, the scriptures

Published 1:10 pm Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Sarah Santiago-Rivera and her husband, Alberto, shortly after their marriage, moved to Elizabethton from their hometown of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. An English teacher from this area teaching in Puerto Rico, invited Alberto’s sister to come to Elizabethton and attend ETSU. Thus, began the migration of Alberto’s family to the United States for a better life.

Alberto, himself, attended ETSU for a couple of years, but later found work at Raytheon. Both, he and Sarah found jobs in the area and raised a family, which included four children – Sara Nave, Ivelise Bachman, Cesar Santiago, and Daniel Santiago.

Sarah died April 29, at the age of 87. “She was an amazing lady, who loved her family and the Lord. She invested immensely in our lives,” said Cesar, who noted that his mother enjoyed gardening and cooking. “She especially loved flowers and learning new ways to grow and propagate them.

“Her Puerto Rican culture was important to her, and it was important that her children and grandchildren carry it on. Our house was a little Puerto Rico. We spoke Spanish, and many of the dishes she prepared were Puerto Rican in nature. My mother was a wonderful cook. She used a lot of cilantro for seasoning,” said Cesar. “She had many, many recipes, but from time to time she would alter them, so it was hard to get them down on paper and keep them.”

One of Cesar’s favorite dishes that his mother prepared was flan, a dessert of sweetened egg custard with a caramel topping. “Oh, it was so good,” he said.

Sarah did work some on and off after moving to Elizabethton. Among her jobs was child care at T.A. Dugger Junior High, East Tennessee Undergarment and Levi-Strauss. All were short-term.

“She loved to talk about her homeland and she encouraged her children never to forget its culture,” said Cesar, who shared stores about visiting Puerto Rico with his parents. “She visited family numerous times on the island. It was very close to her heart. She never forgot her roots,” her son shared.

The family lived in the Valley Forge community and for a time attended Doe River Baptist Church. However, in Sarah’s latter years, she attended Oak Street Baptist Church. “Her faith was very important to her, She had a very solid faith, and the Scriptures and prayer were the very foundations of our home. She was constantly praying for her children,” said Cesar. Sarah and her husband through their church enjoyed mission trips to Venezuela and Ecuador. Both Cesar and his sister, Ivelise and husband, Neal, have done mission work.

“If I were to describe my mother, I would say she was the quiet type, whom people were attracted to. She was more of a one-on-one person. She loved people and enjoyed being around them. She especially enjoyed her children and grandchildren, which included nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren,” said Cesar.

Her greatest gift to her children? According to Cesar it was her faith. “Her Christian faith was solid and it was important that her children learn and practice it,” he stressed.

Sarah was laid to rest May 5 at the Mountain Home National Cemetery. She left a legacy that hopefully her children will pass on to their children and grandchildren.

Sarah Santiago-Rivera bettered herself by moving to the states, but she never forgot her homeland. She was such a humble and uplifting person.