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Cristina Santiago Castro Acoymo

April 2, 1936 - January 11, 2021

Cristina Santiago Castro Acoymo, 84, went home to Jesus at 5:25 am on Monday, January 11, 2021 surrounded by her loving family at her home in Clive. Visitation and funeral Mass will be January 21st at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church, 510 E 1st St, Ankeny, IA 50021. Visitation will be at 10:00 am and mass will start at 11:00 am. Burial will proceed after at Memorial Services of Iowa at Ankeny Memorial 4208 N Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA 50023. No reception is planned.

On 10/21/20 Cristina moved into Vintage Hills (now Independence Village) of Ankeny. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 on 11/2/20. The damage of COVID-19 vastly accelerated her Alzheimer’s Disease. Immense efforts were taken for a possible recovery.

Cristina leaves her son, Edmund C. Acoymo (Susan) and her two daughters; Margaruitte “Peg” Mattison (Jeremy) and Lisa Dale (Rob); five grandchildren Grant Acoymo, Quinn Mattison, Austin Mattison, Nicholas Dale, and Brielle Dale. She is survived by her siblings Lydia “Nini” Castro of Des Plaines, IL; Celia (Castro) Yu of Addison, IL; and Emmanuel Castro (Eppie) of Palatine, IL. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Edmundo V. Acoymo, MD on 1/8/20; her mother Ascuncion Castro; father Maximo Castro; siblings Rizalino Castro and Catalina Castro-Belmonte.

Cristina was born on April 2, 1936 in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines to Maximo and Ascuncion Castro. She was a resident of Clive, Iowa since 1974. Cristina was a survivor of Japanese occupation in World War II. She shared many stories of the occupation, and was very fond of some of their songs taught to her by Japanese Soldiers. Cristina graduated from San Miguel High School, Bulacan in the Philippines. Cristina attended Santo Tomas University in the Philippines where she graduated with a Degree in Pharmacy. After obtaining her Pharmaceutical license, Cristina worked as a Pharmacist in the Philippines. She moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1961, where she met her husband, Edmundo in 1963 and married there. They later lived briefly in Chicago, Cedar Rapids, and Ames before moving to Clive.

In her younger years, Cristina won multiple Beauty Pageants in the Philippines. Her last one was in Pontiac, Michigan. She loved to dance, socialize at parties, travel, and shop for expensive items. Her favorite song was “Moon River” from the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which was performed at her wedding.

In her later years, she enjoyed watching sports and game shows with her husband. She regularly went to Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona, IA, where it inspired her to coin the phrase “ding-ding.” She spent quality time with her family especially her grandchildren. Throughout her life she was very warm and humble to everyone she met. She was a Roman Catholic, was able to recite all parts of the rosary, and a long-time member of Sacred Heart Church in West Des Moines, Iowa.