Angelina A. Santana

San Luis Obispo seems a little dimmer since we lost the bright light that was SLO native and beloved mother and grandmother, Angie Santana. Angelina Aurora Santana, 91, was born October 19, 1930 in San Luis Obispo, CA, to Pedro and Maria Martinez. The only sister in a family of five brothers, she developed the fortitude, entrepreneurial spirit, and propensity for caregiving that would remain with her until the end. From a young age, she would harness her creativity and transform it into opportunity--beginning with selling pies she would cook and hide under her bed and sell to her brothers for a quarter, to repurposing old linens into clothing she would sell to patrons, to building her love of drying and arranging flowers and weeds into her own business, Angie’s Weed Nest, a fixture of downtown SLO from 1973-1999. Angie attended Hawthorne Elementary and San Luis Obispo High School. She married her first love, Jesse Santana in 1948. They had four children together, Diane, Julie, Debi, and Jesse and they spent the next 51 years working hard during the week and partying hard on the weekends. For decades, Angie was the ultimate hostess--throwing get-togethers for families and friends, feeding everyone her delicious food, and making sure everyone was dancing. Following Jesse’s passing in 1999, Angie closed her Weed Nest and her loving family expected her to finally slow down. However, in 2004, she met her best friend, Jack Baker and for the next 18 years, Angie and Jack celebrated life--becoming regulars at downtown locales such as the Creeky Tiki and McCarthy’s, dancing the night away at Madonna Inn or the Graduate, showcasing Jack’s beloved truck at Cruise Nights or simply spending time with friends at the Moose and the Eagles. Her family often joked that her social calendar rivaled that of her grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. However, she always loved the time with her family at the parties and get-togethers that she had inspired with her hostessing decades before. Angie will be remembered for her floral arrangements, her cooking, her beautiful smile, her big hair and glasses, her love of life, family, and community but most of all, her positivity, and her ability to see beauty in everything--even weeds. Angie is survived by her best friend, Jack Baker, her four children, Diane Garcia, Julie Mattson, Debi Sondgroth, and Jesse Santana Jr., her son-in-law, Louis Garcia, her four grandchildren, Tina (Bobby) Ryan, Stephan (Elaine) Garcia, Lara (Ben Perry) Mattson, and Eric Mattson, and six great-grandchildren, Brayden Ryan, Rayleen Ryan, Cruz Garcia, Tyler Garcia, Rowan Perry, and Lily Perry. She was preceded in death by her sons-in-law, Larry Mattson and Tommy Sondgroth, and her granddaughter, Crissy Garcia. Per Angie's request, there will be no service. In her final wishes, she asked that those that she loved and that loved her, live our lives to the fullest and follow our dreams.

Angelina A. Santana

October 19, 1930 - September 8, 2022