Last member of Seattle’s ‘Gang of Four’ dies

SEATTLE – Beloved Seattle community leader Bob Santos died Saturday at the age of 82.

Santos, born and raised in Seattle’s International District, led the movement in the 1970s to preserve the city’s International District.

As executive director of the International District’s Improvement Associated, he helped businesses, supported residents and provided the neighborhood with social services.

His wife, Sharon Tomiko Santos, is a Democratic Washington state representative.

Santos, widely known as “Uncle Bob,” had been hospitalized in recent weeks, Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Gossett told The Seattle Times.

Santos was a member of a group of Seattle community leaders working to support civil rights in the late 1960s and 1970s, sometimes referred to as “The Gang of Four.”

Gossett is the last surviving member of the group.

KIRO 7 spoke with Santos a day after the shooting death of fellow community activist Donny Chin last year.

‘We are so made that outsiders can come into our district and try to control it, and we’re not going to allow that to happen,” Sanotos said.  You can learn more about Santos’ life by clicking here.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray released a statement after Santo’s death.

“Bob Santos touched countless lives across every race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and age in Seattle. He was everyone’s ‘uncle’ because of his universal and unwavering friendship, and he was a hero to many marginalized Seattleites who he tirelessly advocated for.”

Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement Sunday.

“Washington is a better state because of Bob Santos’ passion for justice. Bob was a forward thinker. His early days as an activist with the ‘Gang of Four’ helped bring communities of color together in one unified voice to fight for equal rights. He served as the unofficial mayor of the Chinatown International District in Seattle, advocating for social justice that helped pave the way for future generations of API leaders. Washington’s strong API community is a testament to his leadership and commitment to mentoring. Trudi and I send our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, his family, and his friends. His passing is truly a loss but his legacy will live on.”