Rafaela Ortiz

Rafaela Ortiz, 88, of Savannah Georgia, died Tuesday morning, September 10, 2019, at Riverview Health and Rehabilitation.



Born in Las Villas, Cuba, she was a daughter of the late Felis Diaz and the late Anna Maria Legon. Rafaela was a long time communicant of Saint James Catholic Church. She was a devout Catholic that participated in church services daily. She also served as a Eucharistic minister during mass for many years and would also distribute the Eucharist to the sick and elderly as well. She loved the church but she also volunteered regularly at Saint James School especially manning the lunch yard.



Her friends knew her as Fela, and she had plenty of people that knew and loved her. She was always known as one of the sweetest people you would ever meet.



She had opportunity and traveled throughout the world with her former husband and most of the United States with him and her children.



She worked out of the home on occasion, but was mainly a homemaker raising seven children.



In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Alexander Ortiz, and her former husband, Jesus Ortiz, MD.



Surviving are her children, Jesus Jose Ortiz, Leonardo Ortiz (Amy), Eduardo Ortiz (Leslee), Elizabeth Ortiz-Hopkins, Marilyn McAllister, Anita Bodenhamer; grandchildren; great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.



The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 o'clock Saturday morning at Saint James Catholic Church.



The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 o'clock Saturday morning at Saint James Catholic Church conducted by the Reverend Patrick May. Interment will be private.