Rafael Gijon-Robles

Rafael Alfredo Gijón-Robles passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 3rd, 2016. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 9, 1925. He was the first child of Alfredo Gijón-Surillo and Rafaela Robles-Maldonado. Rafael was the oldest brother of his two loving sisters Aurora Gijón de Llopart and Lydia Escalera.

On September 19, 1949 he met the love of his life at the University of Puerto Rico while studying to be a pharmacists. He married Doris Aguilar-Rivera on December 19, 1952. They were married for 63 years. From this marriage they had two children, Ricardo Alfredo Gijón-Aguilar (wife Solange Baez) and María Eulalia Gijón-Aguilar (husband Richard Patronella). Rafael was also like a father to María Cristina Reyes-Aguilar (niece), Joséand Patricio Aguilar (brothers in law). He was “Buelo” to Jael Esther Gijón, MD (B.J. Carbajal), María Rosa Gijón, RN (Anthony Johnson) and Rafael Alfredo Gijón, CSE (Michelle Sterbenz) and his special grandchildren Tito Molina, Lauren Patronella, Clint Patronella and Meghan Patronella-Esparza. Rafael was also great grandfather to Sophia Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Joshua Johnson, Ronin Gijón and Rosalin Gijón.

Rafael was a true patriot who answered his call of duty serving in the US Army Medical Service Corps and retiring as a full Colonel in April 1984.

Rafael was interested in Genealogy, Heraldry and history. He was also a poet and a writer. He was a Knight of the Military and Hospitalet Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, Honorable Brother Mozarabic Knights of Toledo (Spain), Knight of the Noble Company of the Rose, Knight of Columbus, Fourth Degree, Fellow of the American College of Heraldry, Fellow of the Augustan Society, Fellow of Octavian Society, Former President of Academia De Estudios Heráldicos y Genealógicos de Puerto Rico, Académico Correspondiente de la Academia de Estudios Heráldicos e Históricos de Mexico, A.C. ,Herald Emeritus and Grand Priority of America of the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, Registered Pharmacists. He was a member of Military Order of World Wars of the U.S., Order of Amigerous Augustans, Sociedad Vexilológica Española, The Heraldry Society (London) and Clan Donald USA.

He had a great sense of humor and always made people laugh. He will be deeply missed by many including extended family members and his friends.