Santana Natasha Kortum-Caballero

Santana Natasha Kortum-Caballero took her final bow on May 7, 2025 - but not before living a life that flipped off every limit thrown her way and rewrote the definition of resilience. Leaving behind one hell of a story and an indelible mark on everyone lucky enough to know her. Born on April 9, 1973 in Anaconda, Santana came into this world loud, opinionated, and unstoppable - and left the same damn way.

Santana laughed at anyone who underestimated her - and spent the rest of her life proving just how wrong they were. Living with medical challenges that would've knocked most people off their path, she met every obstacle with stubborn grit, razor-sharp wit, and a fire that only grew stronger.

She never fit the mold - because she was too busy breaking it. Told she wouldn't graduate high school by some, told she'd never amount to anything, she laughed in the face of doubt and went on to build and lead one of the most successful law firms out there; Kortum Law Office. And she did it all her way - fierce, sharp, loud when it mattered, and full of fight when others had none left. She didn't climb the ladder - she tore it down and built her own empire.

Santana traveled the world not to escape, but to conquer it - one passport stamp and one bold story at a time. To soak it in, learn from it, and remind it that people like her existed - the kind who turn pain into purpose and fire into fuel. And whether she was in a courtroom, on a beach in some far-off country, or at a dinner table calling out everyone's nonsense, she was unapologetically herself: honest, passionate, fearless. But the courtroom wasn't her only battleground. Santana was a champion for the underdog - unwavering in her support of anyone facing hardship. She had a special place in her heart for kids and families in need, offering pro bono adoption services to those with nowhere else to turn. She knew the power of chosen family - she had adopted all three of her beloved children, Gabby, Michael, Madison/Duke, and poured every ounce of her soul into giving them the love and strength that she carried with her always. They were her greatest legacy.

Santana lived louder, loved harder, and fought tougher than anyone you've ever met. She didn't sugarcoat the truth - she served it straight, no chaser. And somehow, even in her bluntest moments, she made you feel like you mattered. Because you did - if you were lucky enough to be in her orbit.

Santana lived like her sister drives: fast, with the windows down, and zero regard for speed limits and rules. Santana loved deeply, cursed creatively, laughed often, and never backed down from a fight - especially if it meant standing up for what was right or defending someone she loved. Santana could charm a room, win a debate, and drink you under the table - all before breakfast. A fierce friend, a ruthless truth-teller, and a walking, talking reminder that rules are just suggestions. Santana didn't just live life - she wrestled it into submission and made it beg for mercy.

She was bold, unfiltered, and gloriously unapologetic - a one-woman revolution who told the truth even when it burned and loved people even when they didn't believe they deserved it. If she loved you, you knew it - and if she had your back, no force on Earth could shake you.

She was the kind of woman who played P!nk at full blast - not because it sounded good, but because it felt like her. Loud. Raw. Real.

She is survived by her father, George Kortum; her mother, Barbara Kortum Sawyer; her sister Liberty Kortum-Kuennen; her half-sister Kristel Peterson; and her children she proudly called her own: Gabriella Hope, Michael, and Madison (Duke) Managhan. And a long list of "her people" she would call her aunts, uncles, and cousins, whom she so loved.

She was also a legendary aunt - and she knew it. Santana leaves behind the best nieces, Talea Akila (affectionately known as Bean, as Santana would say), Kyra McKinley (Louise), India Emerson (Frankie McDoodle), Rylie Peterson, and nephews Taryn A (Donut) and Taeven Peterson. They were not just family - they were her heart, her laughter, and her pride. Santana, who treated them not like extended family, but like pieces of her own heart. Each like her children, tattooed on her back.



She is preceded in death by her grandfathers, George Kortum Sr. and Huck Robert Sawyer, her grandmothers, Edna Cummings Kortum and Irene Mai Sawyer - a strong ancestral line that no doubt welcomed her home with open arms.

Santana leaves behind a constellation of extended family and friends, all of whom carry pieces of her - her spark, her courage, her unfiltered honesty, and her unshakable love. All who have the impossible task of living in a world that seems quieter without her laugh, her wisdom, and her legendary rolling of her eyes- and a lot fewer sarcastic comments, posts, texts, and late-night calls- in our lives.



So what do we do now? We honor her. Not with silence, but with stories. With truth. With doing the damn thing even when they say we can't. Because that's what she did. That's who she was. And that's how she'll live on.

If you're reading this, don't mourn in silence. Crank the music. Tell the truth. Adopt the damn kid. Do the brave thing. Live out loud. Love without fear. Go to that concert. Take that trip. Sneak your sister that penny candy. And if someone tells you "you can't," do what Santana, aka Tana, did -

Smile, say "watch me," and prove them dead wrong. And then go do it!

Don't send flowers. Send change. Speak up. Chase your dream. Sponsor the softball team in Kalispell she so loved, but make sure it has the best damn name ever; like she always did.

To honor Santana, raise a glass, tell an inappropriate story, blast your favorite song, and remember: she'd want you to keep kicking ass and taking names. Just go live like she did: full throttle and zero regrets.

The hardest thing I - or anyone - will ever do is say goodbye to our sister, daughter, mother, and friend.

Please join us in honoring Santana's extraordinary life:

April 9, 1973 - May 7, 2025

Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, June 1, 2025.

The Old Works Golf Course

1205 Pizzini Way, Anaconda, MT 59711

11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Eulogy / Story Sharing / Music & Slideshow @ 12:00 PM Raise a Glass -for Santana Natasha Kortum-Caballero following