Gilberto Ponce de Leon
September 16, 1943 — May 21, 2022
Harrisburg
Gilberto Ponce de Leon Santana died May 21st 2022 after a long battle with Alzheimer. He was born to the late Domingo Ponce de Leon and Genoveva Santana. Along with his parents, Gilberto is preceded in death by his older brother Juan (Johnny ) Ponce de Leon and his sister Vivian Ponce de Leon. In his early years Gilberto was a vivid body builder who held a record in his local gym for the biggest biceps 18 inches, a record he was very proud of! Right after high school he went to trade school where he became a licensed electrician. He was offered a job with the Puerto Rico Aqueduct Water Company, where he worked for 30 years repairing the water pumps electrical mechanism in the entire island including Vieques and Culebra. During multiple hurricanes, Gilberto’s expertise and experience was a must have and along with his assistance he would work under extreme weather conditions for days and weeks at a time, to ensure the pumps where up and running. He worked with the same Company until his retirement in 1993. Along with his love for the gym he loved to work with his hands, he was a master carpenter and would spend hours admiring the details or “piquetes” of a woodwork. In his free time Gilberto loved to take care of his 19 fish tanks, he would travel the island in search for the rarest fish he could find.
Gilberto didn’t know a stranger, if you needed him he was right there to lend a hand.
Gilberto didn’t know a stranger, if you needed him he was right there to lend a hand, which was shown by the many “terraces”, “floors” and “house additions” he helped build in his neighborhood. He loved music and dancing was to him like walking! where Gilberto was there was always a party, his laughter was so contagious that you couldn’t help but laugh with him. He loved nature and his favorite tree was the “Cypress”, he proudly owned the tallest ones in the neighborhood!. But nothing he did compared to what he loved to do most, taking care of his family, he showered them with love and bear hugs, he would serenate his wife, daughter and granddaughters every change he got and will ensure they knew that “ If God blinds all fountains of light, the universe would illuminate with the beauty in your eyes” ; he ensured to let the guys on his life knew they were “Campeones”, champions and would use any chance to teach them something new every day, “there is always a lesson to be learn”, and “if you wanted something to be done right, do it yourself”, words with light, he will always say “from Gilbert Roland” as he loved to called himself, . Nothing was most important to him than his family and he left a permanent legacy for them to follow.
Gilberto is survived by his wife Julia Aleman, his sons Gilberto and Juan Esteban Ponce de Leon and partner Jennifer Machado, his Daughter and Son in Law Iris and DaMon Benford, his grandchildren, Vivian, Kiara Jamielys and her husband Steven Cabrera, Gabriel, Kristal and Sofia, along with his three great-grandchildren Emmanuel, Emma and Michael his niece Karla and nephews John ( Johnnito), Alexis and Jorge.
Memorial service will be held on Saturday June 4th 2022 at 2:00 PM EST at Harrisburg Funeral & Cremation at 3840 NC Hwy 49 S, Harrisburg NC 28075.
Gilberto Ponce de León Santana se durmió en la muerte el 21 de Mayo del 2022, luego de una larga batalla contra el Alzheimer. Sus padres fueron, Domingo Ponce de León y Genoveva Santana. Junto con sus padres Gilberto es precedido en la muerte por su hermano mayor Juan (Johnny) Ponce de León y su hermana Vivian Ponce de Leon. En sus años juveniles, Gilberto fue un físico culturista aficionado, quien sostuvo un récord en su gimnasio local por tener el “bíceps” más grande de 18 pulgadas, un récord del que estaba muy orgulloso. Justo después de la escuela secundaria, fue a la escuela vocacional, donde se convirtió en Perito Electricista. Inmediatamente le ofrecieron un trabajo con la compañía de Acueductos y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico, donde trabajó durante 30 años reparando el sistema electrico de las bombas de agua en toda la isla, incluyendo Vieques y Culebra. Durante múltiples huracanes, la pericia y experiencia de Gilberto era imprescindible y junto con su asistente, trabajo bajo condiciones climáticas extremas durante días y semanas a la vez, para garantizar que las bombas estuvieran en funcionamiento. Trabajó con la misma compañía hasta su jubilación en 1993. Junto con su amor por el gimnasio, el amaba trabajar con sus manos, era un maestro carpintero y pasaba horas admirando los detalles o "piquetes" de una carpintería. En su tiempo libre a Gilberto le encantaba cuidar de sus 19 peceras, recorría la isla en busca de los peces más raros que pudiera encontrar.
Gilberto no conocía a un extraño, si lo necesitabas estaba siempre dispuesto para echar una mano.
Gilberto no conocía a un extraño, si lo necesitabas estaba siempre dispuesto para echar una mano, lo que se demostró por las muchas "terrazas", "pisos" y "adiciones de casas" que ayudó a construir en su vecindario. ¡Le encantaba la música y bailar era para él como caminar!, donde estaba Gilberto siempre había fiesta, su risa era tan contagiosa que no podías evitar reírte con él. Amaba la naturaleza y su árbol favorito era el "Ciprés", ¡poseía con orgullo los más altos del vecindario!. Pero nada de lo que hacía era comparado con lo que más le gustaba hacer, cuidar de su familia, los colmaba de amor y abrazos de oso, daba serenatas a su esposa, hija y nietas, cada oportunidad que tuvo y se aseguraba de que supieran que "Si un día Dios cegara todas fuentes de luz, el universo se alumbraría con esos ojos que tienes tu"; se aseguró de que los chicos de su vida supieran que eran "Campeones", y aprovecho cualquier oportunidad para enseñarles algo nuevo todos los días, "siempre hay una lección que aprender", y "si quieres que algo este bien hecho, hazlo tú mismo, palabras con luz”, siempre decía, "de Gilbert Roland" como le encantaba llamarse a sí mismo. Nada era más importante para él que su familia y dejó un legado permanente para que lo siguieran.
A Gilberto le sobreviven su esposa Julia Alemán, sus hijos Gilberto y Juan Esteban Ponce de León y su pareja Jennifer Machado, su hija y yerno Iris y DaMon Benford, sus nietos, Vivian, Kiara Jamielys y su esposo Steven Cabrera, Gabriel, Kristal y Sofía, junto con sus tres bisnietos Emmanuel, Emma y Michael, su sobrina Karla y sus sobrinos John (Johnnito), Alexis y Jorge.
El servicio conmemorativo se llevará a cabo el sábado 4de junio de 2022 a las 2:00 PM EST en Harrisburg Funeral & Cremation en 3840 NC Hwy 49 S, Harrisburg NC 28075.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Memorial Service
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Starts at 2:00 pm (Eastern time)
1920 Derita Rd
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