Doris Perez-Sanabria

A Daughter, Sister, Cousin, Aunt, Mother, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother

Sunrise: February 27, 1934 – Ponce, Puerto Rico

Sunset: February 13, 2025 – Waycross, Georgia

Doris Perez-Sanabria was born on February 27, 1934, in her family home in Ponce, to her loving parents, Luis Perez and Ramona Sanabria. She was one of many siblings—Gloria, Juan, Angel, Pedro, Radames, Besaida, Alejandrina, Geraldo, and Linda—growing up in a home filled with faith, resilience, and abundant love.

She was raised in Fortuna, a vibrant community that had everything a family could need in the 1930s and 1940s—its own theater, supermarket, schools, and community centers. Her father, Luis, worked as an electrician and served as one of the early National Guard soldiers after Puerto Rico’s transition under the United States. Her mother, Ramona, was known for her generosity. She always had a plate of food ready for anyone in need, living by the saying, “Si no hay, se hace” — If there isn’t any, we make it.

As a child, Doris was full of curiosity and spirit. One day at her godfather’s home, while playing and climbing over a hammock, her leg became tangled. A tuna can she had been playing with cut her nose and face, leaving a scar she carried for life—a lasting mark of her adventurous childhood.

As a young teenager, around 14 or 15 years old, Doris traveled to New York for the first time. That journey began a lifelong pattern of travel between Puerto Rico and New York, eventually expanding to Philadelphia. She built a life rooted in family across states and islands.

Doris became the proud mother of Miriam, Nelson, Milza, and Irma. Her love only multiplied as she became grandmother to Yeime, Yolanda, Luis, Nilda, Seema, Ruhksana, Mubarak, Nelsito, Stevie, David, Nelcidad, Efrain, Zamil, Doris, Alysha, Erika, and Andrew. Several of her grandchildren—Yolanda, Nilda, Ruhksana, Erika, and Andrew—were blessed with the special honor of being raised by her.

Her legacy continued to grow as she became great-grandmother to Dominic, Yadiel, Andrew, Matthew, Dylan Joseph, Madison, Luis, Abel, Caleb, Dalitso, Tendai, Alyssa, Kayla, Isabella, Jacob, Scarlett, Sophia, Gabriella, Amelia, Ethan, Ezekiel, and Mikayla.

Throughout her adulthood, Doris divided her time between New York, Philadelphia, and Puerto Rico, always going where her family needed her most. She was known for her dark orange lipstick and skirts, later embracing pants in the 1970s before returning to skirts when she rededicated herself to church. A devoted Pentecostal woman, Doris always had a prayer ready for every situation. Her faith was unwavering, and her love for the Lord was evident in the many Spanish gospel songs she sang openly and joyfully.

She loved cooking and made sure that everyone around her was fed, full, and happy. Though she never learned English, she proved every day that love has no language.

In her later years, she made her home in Georgia with her daughter Irma. There, she enjoyed peaceful days sitting on the porch, visiting the family business, loving the Lord, and savoring her favorite Wendy’s kids’ meals. Her life was simple, faithful, and full.

Doris passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by love and family, after a week in hospice care on February 13, 2025, in Waycross, Georgia.

She now rests in her beloved hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico, at Cementerio Civil de Ponce.

For information regarding her burial location, please contact Erika Rivera at 267-251-4277 or Nilda Chapema at 646-320-6334.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/doris-perez-sanabria/obituary/

Copy