Raul Santa Ana

As he drew his last breath, he was surrounded by his loving family including his wife, sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Ernie Banks once said that the measure of a man is the lives he’s touched. If that is the case, then there have been none bigger than Raul Santa Ana. Raul epitomized honor, respect, loyalty, friendship, and love which he freely gave to everyone he met.

Raul was born on October 22, 1929, in Brownsville, Texas as the third of four siblings. He grew up as part of a large extended family and often spoke of gatherings with them, working in his father’s general store, and loving to go to the movies to see the news reels. After high school, he enlisted into the Air Force in 1948, beginning what became a lifetime of service to his country and his family. During his 26 years in the Air Force, he served in many different capacities and locations. His roles included logistics, supply, technology, and squadron leader. His stations included Greenland, Japan, and Vietnam, Tennessee, Alaska, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, where he lived for 50 years. He served during the Korean conflict and did one tour in Vietnam during the war, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1975, Raul began a 24-year career in Civil Service, where he served in logistics and supply for the Charleston Naval Base, Charleston Naval Weapons Station, and the Charleston Air Force Base. He retired for good in 1998 after 50 years of service to his country.

While Raul’s service to his country was long and distinguished, he was defined by his loving, serving, and quick-witted nature, and he never met a stranger. He married the love of his life “his girl”, Sue, in 1958 and spent the next 65 years devoting himself to career, wife, family and God. During that time, he and Sue raised two sons and had six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He was an avid bowler in his younger days and later became an avid golfer and pitmaster. He loved music, dancing and cheering for the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns. He was a devoted father and grandfather who attended countless sporting events, dance recitals, and school functions, cheering and supporting his kids and grandchildren. Raul was a man of faith and a longtime member of the Summerville Church of Christ. He loved God, reading devotionals, and prayer. He was at his core a true “family man” who loved serving, caring for and bragging about his family. He was thoughtful, intentional, loving, caring, a great listener and above all, present. He would sit for hours at a time listening to and getting to know you. If you were lucky enough, you got to hear amazing stories about his entire life, because he remembered everything. More than anything, he always put others first, always saw the good in people, and took amazing care of “his girl” throughout many sick times. Nothing was beneath him when it came to caring for others and there was none humbler. You would never know about his troubles, and you would never know about all the good he did for others unless they told you.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Thelma Sue Santa Ana; two sons, Steve (Kathy) of Charlotte, NC, and Scott (Lisa) of Lawrenceville, GA; six grandchildren, Alyssa Fuqua (Leighton), Sarah Grace Tidwell (Evan), Stephanie Santa Ana, Steven Santa Ana (Carrigan), Ryan Santa Ana (Ellen), and Matthew Santa Ana (Nanda); and his sister, Mireya LeBeouf of Brownsville, TX.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Aurora Fernandez, and a brother, Alfonso Santa Ana.

Raul will be laid to rest in a public interment ceremony with military honors at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, SC on Wednesday, November 8th, at 12:00 noon.

For those wishing to send memorial gifts, please consider the Summerville Church of Christ Mission Fund or Wounded Warriors.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com for the Santa-Ana family.