Obituary of Jesus "Jay" Santiago

Jesus “Jay” Alberto Santiago, age 70, of Maplewood, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2025. Born on February 11, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Jay was a proud graduate of Carmel High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. He dedicated his professional life to helping others, working both as a social worker and in the food service industry. Jay had an extraordinary gift for making people feel seen and heard. Whether with family, friends, customers, or strangers, he always took time to listen—truly listen—and made everyone feel like the most important person in the room. His passion for excellent customer service was unmatched, and he loved mentoring others to share that same commitment. A devoted fan of the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Wild, Jay never missed a chance to cheer on his teams. But his greatest joy came from the people in his life. Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Fernando and Joaquina Santiago. He is survived by his brothers Francisco “Poncho”, Raymond, sisters Isabel (Nelson) Roldan and Marta (Carl), and his his loving wife, Roberta; his children John, Elizabeth (Lorenzo) Rosas, Cristina (Eric) Smyth, and Jessica (Mark) Kopinski; and his cherished grandchildren: Milio, Devan, Michael, Eva, Dominic, Melina, Marcos, Harrison, and Angelo. He is also survived by his siblings, in-laws, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved deeply. A Catholic Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 9, 2025, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in New Brighton, MN. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by Mass at 11:00 AM. Interment to follow at Roselawn Cemetery at 1:30pm.