Herminio "Sam" Santana, 77, of Knox, formerly Portage, went home to the Lord surrounded by his family in his home on Sunday, March 31, 2024.  He was born February 17, 1947, in Cidra, Puerto Rico to the late Epifanio and Ignacia (Valdez) Santana.

Sam's parents moved their family from Puerto Rico to the United States in 1957.  Sam was a proud Army Veteran, having served as a medical corpsman in Vietnam.  On September 21, 1968, he married the love of his life, Nilda Perez, in her hometown in Puerto Rico, although they met here in Indiana.  Together they raised two children.  Sam was certified in heating and cooling and worked at Great Lakes Heating and Cooling and Eibel & Son before he went into business for himself, the owner/operator of Accu-temp, Inc., of Portage.  Sam was an honorable, upstanding man who loved his family and community and this country dearly.  He had a witty sense of humor and was a great husband, father, and grandfather.  Sam will be missed greatly by all who knew him.

Sam's memory will live forever through his wife, Nilda; children, Herminio "Herm" (Julia) Santana, Jr., and Bernice (Joe) Morreale; grandson, Eddie W. (Katelyn) Hardin, III; and great grandchildren, Scarlett and David, and a third coming very soon; and siblings, Epifanio Santana, Ruben Santana, and Lydia (Javier) Mercado.

In addition to his parents, Sam was preceded in passing by his siblings, David Santana, Esther Perez, Benjamin Santana, and Alejita Rosario.

Public visitation will be from 4:00pm – 7:00pm Thursday, April 4 at Rees Funeral Home, Olson Chapel, 5341 Central Avenue, Portage, Indiana 46368.  Funeral service will take place Friday, April 5 at 10:00am, also at Rees Olson Chapel, with burial to follow at McCool Cemetery.