Rudy Santos Helped Filipino Groups Combat Discrimination, Harassment

You couldn't ignore the power and wealth of Adolpho Ventura "Rudy" Santos. He carried it with him, like a king carries a crown, everywhere he traveled.

But it was even more impossible to ignore the role Mr. Santos played in the struggle to combat racism and other demeaning practices against members of the Filipino community, friends and colleagues said.

"Mr. Santos was very instrumental in helping the Filipino Community of Seattle, its many organizations and constituencies to eradicate deep-rooted practices of institutional racism, harassment, intimidation and other discriminatory acts," said Fred Cordova, founding president of the Filipino American National Historical Society.

Mr. Santos, 87, died Tuesday (Dec. 31) after a long illness. His funeral will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Columbia Funeral Home. Cremation will follow.

He was born Sept. 19, 1904, in Manila. At 17 he came to the United States as a merchant seaman.

Mr. Santos was a farm worker, a railroad and roundhouse worker, an Alaska cannery foreman, a bail bondsman, operator of the crab fishing boat Virginia Santos (named after his wife), and owner-operator of an Eastern Washington cherry farm.

"Mr. Santos was a leader in the community," said Bob Santos (no relation), executive director of the Chinatown/International District Public Development Authority. "He was probably the wealthiest person in the Filipino community. People who had troubles would always go to him. And he'd always help them out."

Cordova said Mr. Santos, who owned and operated the Filipino Social and Improvement Club in the International District from 1942 to 1970, will be remembered by relatives and friends for "constantly striving to improve the lot of Filipinos in the Seattle area and in the United States."

"I've known him ever since I was a teenager," Cordova said. "And he has been a great help in our community. He was there to provide financial assistance or whatever was needed. He was very charitable.

"He is a great loss to the Filipino community. As far as Filipino history in Seattle, he has definitely played a large role in the development of that history."

Bob Santos said: "His social club became the living room for a lot of people who lived in the community. It was where they saw their buddies. They could eat a free meal or two . . . and if they wanted to play a game or two he provided that, too."

The club, a reputed gambling establishment, was also the source of controversy for Mr. Santos. He was convicted of perjury in 1972 when he was found guilty of lying to a county grand jury about thousands of dollars in payments he made to Seattle police officers.

Among Seattle's Filipino community, however, Mr. Santos' positive contributions outweighed that blemish.

In a book titled "Pamana", which examines Filipino culture and history in Seattle from 1935 to 1985, Mr. Santos is credited for selling $107,000 of war bonds during World War II, considered a huge sum back then.

Dolly Castillo, president of Filipino Community of Seattle Inc., said Mr. Santos was widely known in the community for his sponsorship of family picnics during the Fourth of July at Seward Park - known among Filipinos as Filipino Hill.

He was a founder of Filipino Masonry in the United States, and for 12 years was master of Tyre Lodge No.48, F & A.M. In 1937-38, he was president of the Filipino Community of Seattle Inc.

Mr. Santos was preceded in death June 16 by his wife. Survivors include his daughter, Joyce Santos Tilly of Seattle; numerous nephews and nieces, grandnephews and nieces, and great-grandnephews and nieces in Seattle and the Philippines.

Memorials may be made to Medina Children's Services, 123 16th Ave., Seattle 98122.