Van Nest community activist
Marie Santillana passes, 70
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
Marie Hilda Santillana,
founding board member of
Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance,
is being mourned in
her Van Nest community after
her passing on Thursday,
July 4 at the age of 70.
Santillana became Sergeant
at Arms of the VNNA
when it was founded in 2010,
said Bernadette Ferrara,
VNNA president of the orga-
nization.
“She did anything she
could to help the community,”
said Ferrera. “She was
like the eyes and ears of Van
Nest.”
Ferrara recalled that she
never missed a VNNA or 49th
Precinct Community Council
meeting, until very recently
when she became ill.
“She would always say
what needed to be said in a
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very respectful way,” said
Ferrara, recalling that she
was a fi ghter not only for her
community, but for herself as
she battled breast cancer and
other illnesses.
Bon Nolan, VNNN senior
advisor, said that she was
especially active in fi nding
families to give donated turkeys
to at Thanksgiving and
locating families in Van Nest
who needed toys at Christmas.
Her son Thomas Santillana
said that his mother succumbed
to COPD, a breathing
ailment, after surviving
three heart surgeries in addition
to breast cancer. She
worked for many years at a
concrete company in New
Jersey, he said.
Her son said he wasn’t
sure what motivated his
mom’s service to her community,
but said that she inspired
his own civic engagement.
“She just loved helping
out her neighbors,” said her
son. “We never really talked
about why she did it, but I am
just glad that she did.”
He recalled her as a strong
disciplinarian and added
that his family would support
an effort to memorialize
her community devotion.
Marie Santillana (front, second from 1) attends the 2018 VNNA annual
fundraiser. Photo courtesy of Bernadette Ferrara
Marie Santillana, one of the founding board members of the Van Nest
Neighborhood Alliance, passed away recently. She is pictured here after
receiving an award from Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. with VNNA
leader Bernadette Ferrara (c) and a representative of the borough president.
Photo courtesy of Bernadette Ferrara
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