The Saipan Mayor\u2019s Office, in conjunction with the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, held a memorial service to honor the late Saipan mayor Jose Santos Rios last Friday.<\/p>\n
Dignitaries from Saipan such as members of the Legislature and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres gathered to help Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang and the municipal council present a plaque of appreciation to the loved ones of Rios at the Kiosku in Chalan Kanoa. <\/p>\n
According to Apatang, Rios was a very humble man who contributed much to the island\u2019s development. <\/p>\n
\u201cHis contributions when he was mayor of Saipan supported and pushed all efforts back in the day to make our island and the Commonwealth a peaceful, safe, and healthy place to work, run a business, and raise a family,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Apatang also said that Rios will be remembered for his legacy of working toward improvement and better living in the Commonwealth. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe passed it on to his successors to use as a guide in turning the dream into reality,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Rios was Saipan mayor from Jan. 8, 1982, to Jan. 7, 1986. He was the island\u2019s third mayor since the Northern Mariana Islands became a U.S. commonwealth.<\/p>\n
Rios was born on Dec. 19, 1939, and passed away on Jan. 21, 2018. <\/p>\n
Municipal council administrator Frances Mu\u00f1a said that Rios passed away a little over a month after celebrating his 78th birthday.<\/p>\n
According to information obtained by the municipal council from Rios\u2019 family, Rios was given a military funeral at the veteran\u2019s cemetery in Washington state on Feb. 2, 2018.<\/p>\n
Rios enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to South Korea during the Korean War. Rios later joined the U.S. Peace Corps and was stationed in Chuuk.<\/p>\n
Rios is survived by his wife Emilia and children Roy Rios, Marie Martinez, Remay McNally, and Joseph Rios Jr.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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