Lois Santillan

Lois E. Santillan

1945- 2024

Lois Elaine (Galligan) Santillan, 78, of Santa Maria, CA passed away on January 21, 2024. Lois was born in Marysville, Kansas on June 6, 1945 to Bartholomew Galligan and Virginia (Gallinger) Galligan. The eldest of five siblings, she and her family moved around throughout the mid-west before eventually coming to California. Lois settled in Santa Maria in the late 1960 's.

Lois spent the majority of her career as a physical fitness educator at Arellanes Elementary School and as a soccer coach for both youth league and the varsity women's team at Santa Maria High School.

Lois had many talents, but the one that truly embodied her spirit was her effortless artistic abilities. Entirely self-taught, she created beautiful artwork in all different mediums. She was as skilled in drawing portraits as she was in painting large outdoor murals. Her artistic eye could be seen in everything she did; from how she dressed, to how she decorated her home, to the landscape of her garden.

Always active and fitness-oriented, she loved running, dancing, and weight-lifting in her younger years, which she eventually traded for yoga and walks in the park with her dogs as time went by. A woman of nature, she loved being in her backyard garden which she transformed over the years into an oasis filled with a koi pond, fruit trees, and a variety of plants and flowers. You could always find her working in a section of the garden or sitting at her bistro table to watch and admire hummingbirds with her Italian Greyhound on her lap. A true animal lover, her home was never without the bark of a playful dog or the purr of a contended cat.

Her life was not an easy one. There were many hardships and obstacles put in her path over the years that would have broken a weaker spirit. Despite it all, she persevered and never lost her beautiful smile and joyfulness. She was the epitome of a person being able to make lemonade when life handed her lemons.

Lois is survived by her husband of 46 years, Alexander (Alex) Santillan. She is also survived by her son Russell Lowe and grandchildren of Murfreesboro, TN; her son Robert Santillan and grandson Omar Santillan of Honolulu, HI; her daughters Brandi Santillan of Santa Maria, CA. and Sasha Santillan, of Santa Barbara, CA; her dog Turbo; her cat, Avalon; her grand-cats Lancelot, Thomas, and Beijing; and her beloved Italian Greyhound, Chancellor.

Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.