Irma Lucille Santeliz-Aponte

Irma Santeliz-Aponte
Irma Lucila Santeliz-Aponte, 85, of Unionville, Missouri, died on Sunday, May 9, 2010 at the Putnam County Care Center.
Irma was born May 12, 1924 in Aregue, State of Lara, Venezuela. She was the daughter of Pedro Santeliz and Faustina Aponte. She was united in marriage to Marcos T. Pacheco in 1946; to this union one daughter, Maritza, and one son, Tulio, were born. Marcos and Irma later divorced. In 1959, Irma married Gerardo Escalona; they divorced in 1966. Irma attended rural schools in Venezuela and then attended the Instituto Mosquera Suarez in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, attaining degrees in both Business and Accounting. She taught Business classes at the Instituto Mosquera Suarez for 10 years. In 1955, she moved to Caracas, Venezuela. She was employed with Avon Cosmetics of Venezuela, where she was the Sales Accounting Department Manager. She retired from this corporation after 25 years of service and came to live in Unionville, Missouri in 1980. Between the years of 1984 and 1992, she traveled between Venezuela and Unionville, assisting her children with their families during this time. In 1993, she came to permanently reside with her daughter in Unionville, Missouri.
Irma was a devoted and wonderful mother and grandmother, and was a loving, generous, and kind-hearted woman. She was selfless in her actions, always placing others in front of her own needs. She was very proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and relished in their accomplishments. Irma enjoyed reading, working cross-word puzzles, and playing dominoes. She was an avid Major League Baseball fan, and would keep a special watch on the players that came out of Venezuela. She was a devout Roman Catholic and was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Unionville.
Irma was preceded in death by her parents, and her siblings Ana Santeliz, Carmen Rojas, and Pedro Augustin Santeliz.
She is survived by her daughter Maritza Ream and her husband Hank of Unionville; her son Tulio Pacheco and his wife Lissy of Miami, Florida; grandchildren: Jeanette Simmons and her husband Jackie of St. Joseph, Missouri; Brad Ream and his wife Leslie of Unionville; Clint Ream of Wellington, Missouri; Rosangel Ruggiero and her husband Juan Carlos of Miami, Florida; and Giselle Pacheco of Miami, Florida; great-grandchildren: Jackie Lee, Kaitlin, Kassidy, and Trenton Simmons and Glen Dunkin of St. Joseph, Missouri; Trey, Kelsie, Haiden, and Owen Ream of Unionville; and Giancarlos and Angelo Ruggiero of Miami, Florida; and one great-great grandchild: Chloe Simmons of St. Joseph, Missouri. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends in Venezuela.
A Funeral mass will be held for Irma at Playle and Jones Family Funeral Home in Unionville, MO, on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 10:00 am. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 11 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
Memorials may be made to the St. Mary’s Catholic Church or the Putnam County Care Center and may be entrusted to the Playle & Jones Family Funeral Home.