Born "Luz Aurea Santos y Salgado-Felix" in the Santurce district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was the 4th of 6 sisters and she also had 3 brothers. From the time she was small she was teaching her younger siblings nursery rhymes, how to write and how to dance. When she was a young girl the family moved to New York City where she soon was taking lessons on a Hawaiian guitar she got as a present. She adored movies and during her teenage years, fell in love with Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger movies. As her love of music developed, she saw the dance team of "Veloz and Yolanda" in "Champagne Waltz" when she was 16 years old. They made such an impression on her, she took lessons to become a tango dancer. She was soon performing with "Talamo", a Rudolf Valentino look-alike.
World War II broke out and she was quick to help the effort. She sold war bonds and soon found work in a defense factory in New Jersey. In 1945 she joined the Women's Army Corps with her sister Lita and both were sent to San Francisco where they were stationed at the Presidio. The Palace of Fine Arts, a left over from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, was used as a motor pool by the Army and Lucy served many long hours working as a clerk typist there. Both sisters soon transferred to Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air Force Base) near Santa Maria, California. Their sisters coming out from New York to live and work in the town and to be close by. Like her sisters, Lucy took elecution lessons to lose her charming Puerto Rican accent. She learned to speak English with perfect diction and to pronounce perfectly, but still could speak perfect Spanish and some French throughout her life.
While in Santa Maria in the late 1940s, many of the sisters worked at a restaurant called "The Canton Tea Garden" just above the Grayson Hotel. The owners Art and Mary Gin became lifelong friends of the family.
Lucy and Estrellita were discharged. and in the late 1940s Lucy, her mother Marcella and the sisters were now all relocated to the Los Angeles area. They formed a singing group called "The Santos Sisters" and toured local night clubs in the Hollywood area.. often being heard on live radio broadcasts... however, most of the sisters soon began to marry and start families.
In 1950, Lucy met and fell in love with a handsome man of Irish descent named Dale Gagan in MacArthur Park in West Los Angeles, while he was between the two tours of military duty. At the time he worked as a cook in West Los Angeles at Tortilla Pete's Mexican Restaurant. In 1957 they had a son named Casey. Born with blonde hair and brown eyes, their son was the light of their lives.
Lucy was a very dedicated wife and mother. She was initially a "stay at home" mom who was very involved in her son Casey's schooling and activities. Lucy was also active in the PTA.... she soon became the "adopted mom" of all of Casey's youth sport teams. Volunteered as the head scorekeeper for the Little League organization. Concession stand organizer for youth Pop Warner Football. Woodcraft Ranger Den Mother. Lucy became the volunteer librarian at Casey's elementary school for 3 years. She loved to volunteer her time.
As her son went on to Junior High and High School, Lucy went to work for Thrifty Drug Stores from 1969 to 1980. She worked as a retail clerk and pharmacy assistant. She enjoyed meeting the community during her years at Thrifty Drug.
In 1980 with her son now a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) and soon he was off to flight school for the Navy, Lucy and her husband Dale retired in San Diego. They enjoyed a beautiful ten years together in retirement with family and friends in the Sports Arena area. They traveled along the coast, enjoying camping, fishing, sailing and the great outdoors. Through out the 1980's, Lucy and Dale hosted many of her son's Navy Fighter Pilot colleagues while Casey was stationed at nearby Miramar Naval Air Station flying an F-14 Tomcat. During that time, Lucy also volunteered with the Navy League in supporting squadron family military functions.
In 1990 after the passing of her husband Dale, the love of her life, Lucy opted to stay busy and socially active. An amazing patriot, Lucy became President of the "Women's Army Corps Veterans Asscociation".
In the early 1990s, Lucy and Lita helped establish and open the Veterans Museum and Memorial Museum (veteranmuseum.org), located near Balboa Park in San Diego. Lucy volunteered as the assistant to the executive director from 1990 to 1998. Many of the museum's current exhibits were assembled from Lucy and Lita's personal collection of WAC photos and memoribilia still on display today. Both women spent countess hours at the museum establishing the collection and working in administration as volunteers.
In 2004, Lucy began to suffer from dementia. She lived with this disease for four years in the Alexandria Care Center assisted living facility in Hollywood, CA. On December 18, 2008 Lucy passed away peacefully and quietly in her sleep. Lucy was survived by her loving son Casey.
Only 2 years later, Casey died and was buried next to her. His many notes to her can be found on this findagrave memorial. On the morning he died, he visited her grave and left flowers.
World War II broke out and she was quick to help the effort. She sold war bonds and soon found work in a defense factory in New Jersey. In 1945 she joined the Women's Army Corps with her sister Lita and both were sent to San Francisco where they were stationed at the Presidio. The Palace of Fine Arts, a left over from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, was used as a motor pool by the Army and Lucy served many long hours working as a clerk typist there. Both sisters soon transferred to Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air Force Base) near Santa Maria, California. Their sisters coming out from New York to live and work in the town and to be close by. Like her sisters, Lucy took elecution lessons to lose her charming Puerto Rican accent. She learned to speak English with perfect diction and to pronounce perfectly, but still could speak perfect Spanish and some French throughout her life.
While in Santa Maria in the late 1940s, many of the sisters worked at a restaurant called "The Canton Tea Garden" just above the Grayson Hotel. The owners Art and Mary Gin became lifelong friends of the family.
Lucy and Estrellita were discharged. and in the late 1940s Lucy, her mother Marcella and the sisters were now all relocated to the Los Angeles area. They formed a singing group called "The Santos Sisters" and toured local night clubs in the Hollywood area.. often being heard on live radio broadcasts... however, most of the sisters soon began to marry and start families.
In 1950, Lucy met and fell in love with a handsome man of Irish descent named Dale Gagan in MacArthur Park in West Los Angeles, while he was between the two tours of military duty. At the time he worked as a cook in West Los Angeles at Tortilla Pete's Mexican Restaurant. In 1957 they had a son named Casey. Born with blonde hair and brown eyes, their son was the light of their lives.
Lucy was a very dedicated wife and mother. She was initially a "stay at home" mom who was very involved in her son Casey's schooling and activities. Lucy was also active in the PTA.... she soon became the "adopted mom" of all of Casey's youth sport teams. Volunteered as the head scorekeeper for the Little League organization. Concession stand organizer for youth Pop Warner Football. Woodcraft Ranger Den Mother. Lucy became the volunteer librarian at Casey's elementary school for 3 years. She loved to volunteer her time.
As her son went on to Junior High and High School, Lucy went to work for Thrifty Drug Stores from 1969 to 1980. She worked as a retail clerk and pharmacy assistant. She enjoyed meeting the community during her years at Thrifty Drug.
In 1980 with her son now a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) and soon he was off to flight school for the Navy, Lucy and her husband Dale retired in San Diego. They enjoyed a beautiful ten years together in retirement with family and friends in the Sports Arena area. They traveled along the coast, enjoying camping, fishing, sailing and the great outdoors. Through out the 1980's, Lucy and Dale hosted many of her son's Navy Fighter Pilot colleagues while Casey was stationed at nearby Miramar Naval Air Station flying an F-14 Tomcat. During that time, Lucy also volunteered with the Navy League in supporting squadron family military functions.
In 1990 after the passing of her husband Dale, the love of her life, Lucy opted to stay busy and socially active. An amazing patriot, Lucy became President of the "Women's Army Corps Veterans Asscociation".
In the early 1990s, Lucy and Lita helped establish and open the Veterans Museum and Memorial Museum (veteranmuseum.org), located near Balboa Park in San Diego. Lucy volunteered as the assistant to the executive director from 1990 to 1998. Many of the museum's current exhibits were assembled from Lucy and Lita's personal collection of WAC photos and memoribilia still on display today. Both women spent countess hours at the museum establishing the collection and working in administration as volunteers.
In 2004, Lucy began to suffer from dementia. She lived with this disease for four years in the Alexandria Care Center assisted living facility in Hollywood, CA. On December 18, 2008 Lucy passed away peacefully and quietly in her sleep. Lucy was survived by her loving son Casey.
Only 2 years later, Casey died and was buried next to her. His many notes to her can be found on this findagrave memorial. On the morning he died, he visited her grave and left flowers.
Born "Luz Aurea Santos y Salgado-Felix" in the Santurce district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was the 4th of 6 sisters and she also had 3 brothers. From the time she was small she was teaching her younger siblings nursery rhymes, how to write and how to dance. When she was a young girl the family moved to New York City where she soon was taking lessons on a Hawaiian guitar she got as a present. She adored movies and during her teenage years, fell in love with Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger movies. As her love of music developed, she saw the dance team of "Veloz and Yolanda" in "Champagne Waltz" when she was 16 years old. They made such an impression on her, she took lessons to become a tango dancer. She was soon performing with "Talamo", a Rudolf Valentino look-alike.
World War II broke out and she was quick to help the effort. She sold war bonds and soon found work in a defense factory in New Jersey. In 1945 she joined the Women's Army Corps with her sister Lita and both were sent to San Francisco where they were stationed at the Presidio. The Palace of Fine Arts, a left over from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, was used as a motor pool by the Army and Lucy served many long hours working as a clerk typist there. Both sisters soon transferred to Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air Force Base) near Santa Maria, California. Their sisters coming out from New York to live and work in the town and to be close by. Like her sisters, Lucy took elecution lessons to lose her charming Puerto Rican accent. She learned to speak English with perfect diction and to pronounce perfectly, but still could speak perfect Spanish and some French throughout her life.
While in Santa Maria in the late 1940s, many of the sisters worked at a restaurant called "The Canton Tea Garden" just above the Grayson Hotel. The owners Art and Mary Gin became lifelong friends of the family.
Lucy and Estrellita were discharged. and in the late 1940s Lucy, her mother Marcella and the sisters were now all relocated to the Los Angeles area. They formed a singing group called "The Santos Sisters" and toured local night clubs in the Hollywood area.. often being heard on live radio broadcasts... however, most of the sisters soon began to marry and start families.
In 1950, Lucy met and fell in love with a handsome man of Irish descent named Dale Gagan in MacArthur Park in West Los Angeles, while he was between the two tours of military duty. At the time he worked as a cook in West Los Angeles at Tortilla Pete's Mexican Restaurant. In 1957 they had a son named Casey. Born with blonde hair and brown eyes, their son was the light of their lives.
Lucy was a very dedicated wife and mother. She was initially a "stay at home" mom who was very involved in her son Casey's schooling and activities. Lucy was also active in the PTA.... she soon became the "adopted mom" of all of Casey's youth sport teams. Volunteered as the head scorekeeper for the Little League organization. Concession stand organizer for youth Pop Warner Football. Woodcraft Ranger Den Mother. Lucy became the volunteer librarian at Casey's elementary school for 3 years. She loved to volunteer her time.
As her son went on to Junior High and High School, Lucy went to work for Thrifty Drug Stores from 1969 to 1980. She worked as a retail clerk and pharmacy assistant. She enjoyed meeting the community during her years at Thrifty Drug.
In 1980 with her son now a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) and soon he was off to flight school for the Navy, Lucy and her husband Dale retired in San Diego. They enjoyed a beautiful ten years together in retirement with family and friends in the Sports Arena area. They traveled along the coast, enjoying camping, fishing, sailing and the great outdoors. Through out the 1980's, Lucy and Dale hosted many of her son's Navy Fighter Pilot colleagues while Casey was stationed at nearby Miramar Naval Air Station flying an F-14 Tomcat. During that time, Lucy also volunteered with the Navy League in supporting squadron family military functions.
In 1990 after the passing of her husband Dale, the love of her life, Lucy opted to stay busy and socially active. An amazing patriot, Lucy became President of the "Women's Army Corps Veterans Asscociation".
In the early 1990s, Lucy and Lita helped establish and open the Veterans Museum and Memorial Museum (veteranmuseum.org), located near Balboa Park in San Diego. Lucy volunteered as the assistant to the executive director from 1990 to 1998. Many of the museum's current exhibits were assembled from Lucy and Lita's personal collection of WAC photos and memoribilia still on display today. Both women spent countess hours at the museum establishing the collection and working in administration as volunteers.
In 2004, Lucy began to suffer from dementia. She lived with this disease for four years in the Alexandria Care Center assisted living facility in Hollywood, CA. On December 18, 2008 Lucy passed away peacefully and quietly in her sleep. Lucy was survived by her loving son Casey.
Only 2 years later, Casey died and was buried next to her. His many notes to her can be found on this findagrave memorial. On the morning he died, he visited her grave and left flowers.
World War II broke out and she was quick to help the effort. She sold war bonds and soon found work in a defense factory in New Jersey. In 1945 she joined the Women's Army Corps with her sister Lita and both were sent to San Francisco where they were stationed at the Presidio. The Palace of Fine Arts, a left over from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, was used as a motor pool by the Army and Lucy served many long hours working as a clerk typist there. Both sisters soon transferred to Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg Air Force Base) near Santa Maria, California. Their sisters coming out from New York to live and work in the town and to be close by. Like her sisters, Lucy took elecution lessons to lose her charming Puerto Rican accent. She learned to speak English with perfect diction and to pronounce perfectly, but still could speak perfect Spanish and some French throughout her life.
While in Santa Maria in the late 1940s, many of the sisters worked at a restaurant called "The Canton Tea Garden" just above the Grayson Hotel. The owners Art and Mary Gin became lifelong friends of the family.
Lucy and Estrellita were discharged. and in the late 1940s Lucy, her mother Marcella and the sisters were now all relocated to the Los Angeles area. They formed a singing group called "The Santos Sisters" and toured local night clubs in the Hollywood area.. often being heard on live radio broadcasts... however, most of the sisters soon began to marry and start families.
In 1950, Lucy met and fell in love with a handsome man of Irish descent named Dale Gagan in MacArthur Park in West Los Angeles, while he was between the two tours of military duty. At the time he worked as a cook in West Los Angeles at Tortilla Pete's Mexican Restaurant. In 1957 they had a son named Casey. Born with blonde hair and brown eyes, their son was the light of their lives.
Lucy was a very dedicated wife and mother. She was initially a "stay at home" mom who was very involved in her son Casey's schooling and activities. Lucy was also active in the PTA.... she soon became the "adopted mom" of all of Casey's youth sport teams. Volunteered as the head scorekeeper for the Little League organization. Concession stand organizer for youth Pop Warner Football. Woodcraft Ranger Den Mother. Lucy became the volunteer librarian at Casey's elementary school for 3 years. She loved to volunteer her time.
As her son went on to Junior High and High School, Lucy went to work for Thrifty Drug Stores from 1969 to 1980. She worked as a retail clerk and pharmacy assistant. She enjoyed meeting the community during her years at Thrifty Drug.
In 1980 with her son now a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) and soon he was off to flight school for the Navy, Lucy and her husband Dale retired in San Diego. They enjoyed a beautiful ten years together in retirement with family and friends in the Sports Arena area. They traveled along the coast, enjoying camping, fishing, sailing and the great outdoors. Through out the 1980's, Lucy and Dale hosted many of her son's Navy Fighter Pilot colleagues while Casey was stationed at nearby Miramar Naval Air Station flying an F-14 Tomcat. During that time, Lucy also volunteered with the Navy League in supporting squadron family military functions.
In 1990 after the passing of her husband Dale, the love of her life, Lucy opted to stay busy and socially active. An amazing patriot, Lucy became President of the "Women's Army Corps Veterans Asscociation".
In the early 1990s, Lucy and Lita helped establish and open the Veterans Museum and Memorial Museum (veteranmuseum.org), located near Balboa Park in San Diego. Lucy volunteered as the assistant to the executive director from 1990 to 1998. Many of the museum's current exhibits were assembled from Lucy and Lita's personal collection of WAC photos and memoribilia still on display today. Both women spent countess hours at the museum establishing the collection and working in administration as volunteers.
In 2004, Lucy began to suffer from dementia. She lived with this disease for four years in the Alexandria Care Center assisted living facility in Hollywood, CA. On December 18, 2008 Lucy passed away peacefully and quietly in her sleep. Lucy was survived by her loving son Casey.
Only 2 years later, Casey died and was buried next to her. His many notes to her can be found on this findagrave memorial. On the morning he died, he visited her grave and left flowers.
Inscription
PVT US ARMY
WORLD WAR II
WOMAN'S ARMY CORPS
WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL
