Anna M. DeLeon

1928 - 2005

Anna M. DeLeon, 76, passed away gracefully Monday, April 11, 2005.

Funeral: 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Greenwood Chapel, with the Rev. Margaret Stratton of Diamond Hill United Methodist Church officiating. Burial: Greenwood Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Greenwood Funeral Home.

Memorials: James L. West Special Care Center, 1111 Summit Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76107.

Anna was born June 21, 1928, in Dallas. She was one of eleven children born to Virginia B. and Raymond G. Santillan Sr. Anna retired in 1997 from Lockheed Martin after 40 years of service as a stenographer and material buyer's assistant. She was a member of OPEIU 377. She had been a Fort Worth resident since 1952. Anna was a member of the North Fort Worth 684, Arlington 249, Order of the Eastern Star and Rithmah Temple 93, Daughters of the Nile, where her title was Princess Anna.

Anna served on the advisory board and was past mother advisor of the North Fort Worth Tarrant 126, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, where she was awarded the Grand Cross of Colors.

Anna was active in the community serving as an election clerk and election judge in Precinct 93 and was a delegate to several county and state Democratic conventions.

She served on two Tarrant County grand juries, worked with the Girl Scouts and the Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School Band Booster Club.

She was an active member of Diamond Hill United Methodist Church.

She loved to travel abroad with her husband, Albert, to her favorite countries: Spain, Switzerland and Russia. Anna was fluent in Spanish and while in Spain was asked several times if she was from South America. Her answer was, "No, we are North Americans."

In her spare time, she enjoyed reading, sewing and various other handicrafts. She was "Grandma Anna" to her grandchildren and enjoyed spending time with them. She would help them with their projects, listen to them and would help them with their challenges in life.

She was a very loving, caring person and will be missed by all.

A special thank-you to Dr. Nikhat Qureshi, M.D., P.A., internal medicine-diagnostician, who took care of Anna starting in 1995 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. A special thank-you to Dr. Mary Milam, M.D., P.A., and her staff for being so understanding during the many chemo treatments that Anna received. Also the family wishes to thank the Community Hospice of Texas, doctors, nurses and staff for the loving compassionate care given to Anna during her stay at the Hospice House located at the James L. West Care Center.

Anna was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Josephine Rogers, the Rev. Mary Lou Santillan Baert and Maria del Pilar Hardin; and two brothers, George L. Santillan and Edward A. Santillan.

Survivors: Husband of 52 years, Albert DeLeon; daughters, Jeanette D. Cocharo and husband, John, of Arlington and JoAnne D. Payton and husband, Albert, of Sachse; granddaughters, Jennifer C. Kass and husband, Malcolm, Jaime C. Stephens and husband, Nathan, and Julia M. Cocharo; grandsons, Jarrett G. Cocharo and Thomas A. Payton; great-grandson, Grayson T. Stephens; sisters, Rose Marie Reyes, Maria Theresa Santillan and Mary Evangeline Santillan; brothers, Raymond Santillan Jr. and Robert H. Santillan; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.