Joaquim 'Jackie' Santos

Jackie was the Family member touted as the smartest of us all by his older siblings. Since Portuguese was not offered as a language option at Port Chester High School, Jackie opted to take Spanish instead. Mrs. Gorman, his Spanish teacher, said that he was the best Spanish student she had had up to point when he was a Senior.  For reasons that I do not recall, I did not opt to take Spanish when I entered my freshman year and Jackie was a Senior. Mrs. Gorman once asked Jackie if he had any more family that would be coming to PCHS and he told her that had a younger Brother who was a freshman. One day, as I was walking to my next class, a strong arm grabbed me by my right shoulder and spun me around like a toy spinning top and sent my books flyhing in the air. It was Mrs. Gorman, with her face as red as a beet she said to me "how dare you come to PCHS and not take Spanish”.  She continued to berate me, in front of friends and other students for about 5 minutes - causing me to be late for my next class. This behavior, on her part, caused me to forego taking Spanish in my following 3 years in High School. Since, at that time, she was the only Spanish teacher and was not to friendly towards me.  After graduation, Jackie joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served for four honorable years. When he returned home he worked at several different factories in, then industrial, Port Chester.

In 1957 he married Blanche Cooper, his high school sweetheart. From this marriage 5 Children were born - Jerome, Joaquim, Jr., Margaret, Kyle and Frank. Blanche passed away in 1967 - during child birth and the 6th child was lost also. An event from which Jackie never fully recovered.  At the various jobs that Jackie worked at he never failed to impress his employers. He was admired for his work ethic. As a youngster, I was often called upon, by Mom, to deliver a freshly made lunch to Dad, who worked at construction. Dad was also a very hard worker who endeared himself to his employers, as did most Cape Verdeans, in those days. When I arrived with Dad's lunch, he would acknowledge me but he would not stop working until the noon hour lunch whistle blew. Jackie was the same type of worker. In addition to looking just like Dad, he worked just as hard as Dad did.

Yet, we all, especially the older Britto's, noticed a striking change in his demeanor since Blanche had died. I do not know for sure, but I think it was caused by his constant fretting about support for his children and their well being. The children were being cared for and raised by their Aunt Anne and she cared for them as well as she would have cared for her own children. Never the less, Jackie continued to worry and, initially, this led to a severe ulcer problem.  The ulcers led to other physical complications that eventually led to his death in 1982. I personally believe that, in addition to his wife's death, that Jackie worried about the fact that, he himself, felt that he was not accomplishing all that others, within the family, came to expect of him and, because of this, it ate away at him.

It got to the point where he would snap harshly at Family members who would make suggestions that they felt would improve his well being.

Since Jackie was the type of person who would never let anyone know what he was thinking, the truth will never be known. Although I have a strong belief about what bothered him so much, aside from Blanche's death, It will go to my grave with me and questions about the matter will be met with complete silence-if not down right hostility. I firmly believe I owe Jackie that much.

Jackie, as much as we fought over the years, and as much as we disagreed on how Family matters should be handled, I miss you immensely. It is a time now when many of the old ways have been forgotten. I have been trying to re-kindle the Cape Verdean spirit and ways amongst your Children, your Nieces and Nephews.

At last, I feel that I have found something we both would agree upon 100%-right down the line.

Dear Brother, may you continue to rest in peace.

Brother John