Cesar "Bud" Octavio Santos

Cesar “Bud” Octavio Santos of Rancho Palos Verdes, California passed away on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at the age of 97 with his family by his side. He is preceded by his wife and best friend Mary Ann Santos, his parents, his brother Abel, brother-in-law Mark Skorlich, and sisters- in-law Geraldine Skorlich and Peggy Santos.

Bud was born on December 6, 1925 in Berkeley, California to father Abel Paulino Santos and mother Lia Mercedes Viteri Santos. The middle of three boys, Bud’s parents raised their family in many places including California, New York, Illinois, and Ecuador. His older brother Abel passed away when Bud was just 16 years old. Shortly after, in 1944 at the age of 17, Bud left Ecuador for New York City to join the U.S. Navy. Close to his mother Lia, she felt his absence, once saying that she felt she had lost two sons too young, missing her lighthearted Buddy, who made her smile.

Bud was assigned to the USS Enoree and proceeded to Pearl Harbor where he served in World War II, fueling ships and supplying communications to the naval forces. He remained in the Pacific until his discharge in 1946 returning to his parents’ home in Flushing, New York. After the war, Bud was determined to complete his U.S. high school education doing so at Jamaica High School in Jamaica, NY. Bud went on to attend Fordham University receiving a Bachelor of Science degree. He often recounted stories of taking the subway to his job at the New York Public Library. After graduation, he was employed by General Electric in New York City, eventually transferring to the Chicago branch and living with his parents in Elmhurst, Illinois. Never a fan of the cold, Bud endured a Midwest winter of negative 14 degrees and decided to return to San Francisco, the place of his birth. He took a job at the Linde Division of Union Carbide Corporation and became the Division Manager. Over the years this role gave him many opportunities, and he was able to use his fluency in Spanish and later live in Mexico City for a time.

In 1953, he reacquainted with his childhood family friend, Mary Ann Skorlich. Their friendship rekindled and their love bloomed quickly. They wed at Holy Trinity Church on August 14, 1954. Bud and Mary Ann welcomed their first born Monica in Palo Alto, CA, and later their second child Paul while living in Mexico City, followed by their third, Susan in Fresno, CA. They then settled in Rancho Palos Verdes where Bud and Mary Ann had three more children, Rebecca, Mark, and John. They raised their six kids in their PV home where they remained for 59 years. Bud eventually bought C-T Products Co. becoming a manufacturers representative and continued to run the company into his late 80’s. Bud and Mary Ann spent more than 64 years together in marriage until her passing in November 2018.

Bud is survived by his six children, Monica Santos (Fred Julian), Paul Santos (Audrey), Susan Paulson (Thomas), Rebecca Santos, Mark Santos, John Santos (Sandra), his grandchildren Samuel (Sarah) and Elizabeth Julian (Megan), Maia and Jesse Santos, Emily, Benjamin and Abigail Paulson, Sydney and Lucas Kolk, Annabelle and Alice Santos, Bridget Skorlich, and Miriam Vazquez and his brother Joseph Santos. He was also a loving uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Bud was an active member of St. John Fisher Catholic Church where he was involved in Agape and Seekers. SFJ was where he and Mary Ann made many dear friends who they enjoyed dining and taking trips with for years to come. He coached many of his sons’ sports teams, enjoyed swimming laps in the pool, and was an avid Dodger fan. One of Bud’s biggest passions was playing tennis, continuing to play into his 80’s. Off the court he followed many tennis players, attending matches in Palm Desert and New York and making sure to watch the Tennis Channel on TV daily. He rarely missed a happy hour cocktail, promptly mixing a martini at 5 o’clock.

Bud was a man of deep faith, strong values, and an amazing work ethic, but above all, he cherished his family, teaching each of his children and grandchildren to treasure each other and keep memories and traditions alive. His memory will surely live on. A funeral mass and celebration of Bud’s life will be held at St. John Fisher Catholic Church in Rancho Palos Verdes on Saturday, July 29 at 11 A.M. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Honor Flight. Donations can be made at honorflight.org/donations.