BERKLEY- Dania R. (Ortiz) Keisling, age 85, of Berkley and formerly of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 21, 2024. Dania was surrounded by the love, comfort, and care of her loving family at her home. She was the devoted and loving wife to Allan Keisling for 60 years.
In addition to her husband, Dania is survived by her daughters: Valerie Santos and her husband John and Sharon Patton and her husband Gerry; her grandchildren: Jessica Bagge and her husband Bryan, Cameron Spellman and his wife Mikayla and Rachael Souza and her husband Kyle; her great-grandchildren: Aurora Bagge and Stella Bagge; a brother: Juan Luis Ortiz; and also many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
Dania is predeceased by her siblings: Ada Ortiz, Oneida Marrero, Carmen Parajon, and Brunilda Olivares.
Dania was a dedicated wife and mother to her husband, children and grandchildren. Her unconditional love and guidance will be treasured by each of her family members. Dania’s selfless love knew no boundaries and she took great pride in her family’s accomplishments. Above all, Dania cherished the time spent with her family.
Born in Guantanamo, Cuba, Dania was one of six children born to the late Luis and Rosa (Estevez) Ortiz. She was raised and grew up in Cuba, until the age of 20, when she came to the United States to further her education.
A kind and caring woman, Dania ‘s passion was in community service and she made an impact in every role she held. She was most proud of her work at Progress Latino, an organization whose mission is to help Rhode Island’s Latino and immigrant communities to achieve greater self-sufficiency and socio-economic progress. Dania was dedicated to the well being of the Latino community of Rhode Island.
In her spare time, Dania loved to sew articles of clothing and curtains. She had an eye for fashion and designed clothing for herself and her family members. Growing up in Cuba, she had a taste for cuban cuisine, a passion which she shared through cooking cuban styled meals and carrying on a family tradition of making ‘Crema de Vie’ for holidays and special occasions. She also had a passion for music and dancing, and would often be heard singing and dancing to ‘La Bamba’ or ‘Hey Macarena’! She was always the last one off the dance floor!
Dania will forever live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her. She will be remembered as a loving wife and a devoted mother and grandmother. Her kind and loving heart will continue to inspire and guide all of her family members.
Dania’s Mass of Christian Burial for the repose of her soul, will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 9am in St. Anthony Church, 126 School St., Taunton. Please meet directly at church. Burial at Riverside Cemetery, Fairhaven, will be held privately.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, January 26, 2024 from 5pm to 7pm in the Silva Funeral Home, 80 Broadway (at Saint Mary’s Square), Taunton MA .
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dania’s memory may be made to Progreso Latino directly at: https://progresolatino.org/donate or to the Alzheimer's Association at https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=51079&51079.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=giving_google_SL&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD8nX1oqrc1HH0iNuU-nQdhzNcWuD&gclid=CjwKCAiA5L2tBhBTEiwAdSxJXxgDve4knrUHtvMpQQjdXKKquWdXcynuwCZgcHm7iVH5J2aFLaBDfxoC1f0QAvD_BwE For expressions of sympathy, to sign an online guestbook or to light a memorial candle, visit www.silvafuneralhome.com
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