Magdalena Del Rio

Arrangements under the direction of Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Brandon, FL.DEL RIO, Magdalena, was born on May 28th 1931 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico and her birth name was Magdalena Rivera-Santiago. She is the second eldest of five sisters and two brothers. Her mother was Cecilia Rivera Santiago, who passed away when Magdalena was 16 years old. Her Father was Francisco Afosto Santiago and his parents were from Spain. Magdalena's father passed away 30 years ago. Magdalena graduated from high school in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, which at the time was an accomplishment for a girl in Puerto Rico; and was an excellent math student. As a child, she loved to climb trees and run and play with girls her age in the neighborhood. She was really close to her sisters, Emilia, Lydia, Sara and Elizabeth. Magdalena learned how to cook and clean at a young age. She also learned how to sew by hand and helped her mother mend clothes. She was raised in a Christian-Pentecostal home where she attended church six days a week with her family. She was very active in the youth group and in Ministry. Later in Life, she ministered to her husband, Julio Enrigue Del Rio, and the entire family worshipped together. Magdalena came to the United States by airplane at the age of fifteen to live with her eldest sister, Emilia Santiago. Her first job was in a garment factory in New York City, and it was there where she made friends with her daughter Arlene's godmother, Cuca, who was from Cuba. Her second job was working on the assembly line at "Loral" (an electronics firm) putting electronic pieces together. Magdalena and Cuca would go out to parties and dance salsa. She loves to dance and hear Spanish oldies. Magdalena was introduced to her husband, Julio Enrigue Del Rio, by Cuca at a dance in 1961 and it was love at first sight. Coincidentally, Julio also worked at Loral as an electrician and was married shortly after they met. Magdalena and Julio had two children: Julio Alberto Del Rio being the eldest and Arlene Del Rio the second. She also has three grandchildren ages 10, 14 and 18 years. Also survived by 3 sisters, Lydia Alvarez, Sara Monseratt and Elizabeth Comesana and one brother, Saul Santiago. Magdalena also visited the sick in the hospitals and offered her home, food, clothes and shelter to those in need. She was generous and happy and never denied anyone food. She always said, "Where two eat, three can eat just the same". She loves to cook rice, beans, chicken or steak and make café con leche. She also loves to tell jokes (Christian jokes) and could be funny at times, and has an amazing sense of hearing. You cannot whisper in another room, she hears it all. Magdalena is survived by her daughter, Arlene Del Rio-Bayron; her son, Julio Alberto Del Rio; grandchildren, Marlena Del Rio, Emilio Del Rio and Julia Danielle Bayron and an extended loving family and friends