Santiago "Sandy" A. Ariola

Santiago Ariola was born on July 25, 1930 in Solsona, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. He was the third son among five siblings. To his children and grandchildren, he was Daddy Lolo; to his friends, he was Sandy.
Without receiving a high school diploma, he joined the Philippine Army at 18. Not only was he talented, he was also handsome, humorous and popular with the ladies. Sandy was terribly and undeniably smitten when he met the love of his life, the beauty from the province of Quezon, Lourdes Almacha. They fell in love and were married two years later.
As their family grew larger, Daddy Lolo managed to go back to school to attend the Armed Forces School for Enlisted Men (AFSEM) at Fort Andres Bonifacio College (FABC), now known as the University of Makati. He obtained his high school diploma in 1960 before his 30th birthday. Daddy Lolo then went to college in the evenings at FABC and achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Education in 1971. He worked part-time as an English and Pilipino (Tagalog) teacher at the same school for both high school and college levels from 1972 until 1981. He did all this while in active duty in the Philippine Army and supporting his family.
Daddy Lolo participated actively in his children's education. A published author, he was often asked by his children's teachers to compose poems for school assemblies. He was the unofficial local "poet laureate" in Fort Bonifacio, delivering and reciting his poems to crown local the beauty queens.
Sandy and Lourdes produced seven children and eighteen grandchildren. He was a loving father and a devoted grandfather who took care of all of his grandchildren since they were babies. He was a man we all looked up to and adored. He is known as the generous, "jolly-good-fellow" among his circle of friends and always enjoyed his company.
On August 28, 2015 at 6:55 PM, Daddy Lolo passed away. His death is a terrible loss to all of us who survived him, but on the other hand, God has rescued him and released him from his pain and suffering. We take solace in knowing that Daddy Lolo is now reunited with Mommy Lola in heaven.
May our Lord God, Almighty rest your soul, Daddy Lolo . . . We are grateful for everything you have done for us . . .