Obituary of Katherine Carol Santiago

Katherine Carol Carlson Santiago, 72, of Fayetteville, NY, died unexpectedly on August 13, 2021. Katherine was born October 30, 1948, in Jamestown, NY, the daughter of the late Robert Brewer (Bror) Carlson and Carolyn Josephine Maggio Carlson. Known to her class mates as Kay, she graduated from Jamestown High School in 1967, and received a Bachelor of Science in Housing and Interior Planning from the College for Human Development at Syracuse University, in 1971. She was a member of Kappa Omicron Nu National Honor Society for the Human Sciences. She began her professional career as a commercial interior space planner at the design firm Interior Innovations of Syracuse, NY. In 1977, with the entrepreneurial spirit inherited from her family, she launched her own women's fashion accessory design and manufacturing company, Kate Jung Designs, Inc. Over the next 16 years, she grew the company to include factory facilities with 28 employees in Syracuse a show room in the garment district of New York City, and independent sales representatives in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles. The product line included better fashion jewelry and hair accessories, and bridal jewelry and headpieces. Wholesale accounts included Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Lord & Taylor, Dillard's, The Limited Express, and numerous specialty stores nationwide. After dissolving her company, Kate turned her attention to teaching fashion accessory design as an adjunct instructor in the College for Human Development at Syracuse University, 1995 – 1999. She continued to express her creativity by designing and executing custom accessories to compliment couture clothing designed by Conover Mayer in Syracuse, 1996-2006. In later years, Kate used her client development and business management skills at Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, and David's Bridal. Katherine is survived by her sister Pamela J. Carlson of Washington, DC; several cousins Stephen (Bonnie) Maggio of Jamestown, Timothy (Tralee) Maggio of Cassadaga, NY, Becky Maggio Ridder of Indianapolis, IN, Brenda Maggio of Hamilton, OH, and Beth (Steve) Maggio Alexander of Hamilton, OH; and her step daughter Alexandra (Nick) Santiago DiBiaso of Westhampton Beach, NY, and two step granddaughters Serafina DiBiaso and Francesca DiBiaso. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her aunt Betty F. Carlson of Jamestown, her two uncles Albert A. Maggio of Jamestown and A. Earl Maggio, Jr. of Indianapolis, IN, and two cousins Brian Earl Maggio and Brett Earl Maggio. The funeral service will be held in the Lind Funeral Home at noon on Thursday, August 26, 2021. Friends will be received for one hour prior to the service, which will be available online for live streaming and later on demand at www.lindfuneralhome.com. Rev. Daniel K. Nagle will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery, Town of Busti, NY. Memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church in Jamestown.