Petra M Santana

MAY 13, 1920-MARCH 4, 2019

On May 13, 1920 the little town of San Germán became a better place with the birth of Petra María Pellicier. Her parents, Máximo Pellicier Rivera and Juana Santana Toro de Pellicier, welcomed her into a growing family. She left the world a better place on March 4, 2019 to reunite with her husband of 63 yrs., Salvador O. Santana. They married July 20, 1940. Two daughters and a son were born in San Germán: Petra María, Adelaida, & Ramón Eduardo. The family migrated to New York and Kent, Ohio where Salvador accepted a position as a trackman with the Erie Lackawana Railroad in Kent, OH. Petra served as a Legal Secretary and Interpreter In San Germán and Hartford, CT and retired from Ametek Lamb Electric as an inspector in Kent.

Upon retirement, Petra and Salvador moved to Summerfield, FL, becoming snowbirds between Kent and Summerfield. Both lived faithfully by the three F's: Faith, Family, and Friends. Petra & Sal were members of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kent and St. Theresa Catholic Church in Belleview, Fl. Their Faith, Family & Friends sustained them through life's ups and downs.

Family was Petra's firm foundation. Being a gracious host and wonderful cook, she endeared herself to many who became part of her extended family from Puerto Rico through, Kent, Florida and Tucson, AZ where she resided with Adelaida the last 7 years of her life.

Petra and Salvador took in young girls of color who couldn't live in the segregated dormitories at Kent State University as well as others who wanted a familial home environment. She also volunteered summers at Kent State's Romance Language Department through seminars for teachers of Spanish.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 63 years, 12 siblings, their son, and a son-in-law. She leaves to bask in the afterglow of her life: Daughters Marie and Ade, 8 grandchildren including her four legged one, Chiquita, 5 great- and 5 great-great-grandchildren, many loving nieces and nephews, several close godchildren, and friends who adored her. She was affectionately called by her children's loving nickname, "Mita" "Grawma" by her grandchildren… She was also known by other pet names "Tía","Nana" & definitely, "MITA".

Petra leaves behind a great legacy of love, compassion, courage, wisdom, her love for learning, & gardening. She was a guide to many, sabia, classy, decent, kind. She provided service to her communities wherever she lived, evident by her family and immeasurable numbers of friends and a scholarship established by Adelaida at Kent State University for Puerto Rican students in honor of & in her parents', Petra & Salvador, & Adelaida's names.

Goodbye San Germán's rose. You will forever grow in our hearts and memories. You brought us such joy and compassion. You now belong to heaven and the stars spell out your name. Mita, you lived your life like John's song, a candle in the wind: never fading with our Rican sunset when the rains set in. Your footsteps will always follow you through San German's green hills. Your candle burned out long before; your legend never will…