Doctor Luis Santaella was born August 13, 1938 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  He passed away in his sleep on September 5, 2013.  Luis attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachussetts, then completed his undergraduate education at prestigious Yale University,including having spent a year studying at the Sorbonne, Paris. He graduated and received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical School, Philadelphia in 1963: where incidentally, the famous painting by the eminent American artist George Eakins, depicting Professor and Doctor Samuel Gross, called the "Gross Clinic" hung for many years.  After medical school, he served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was stationed in Landstul, Germany and El Paso, Texas. During this time he primarily treated Vietnam War casualties. Lieutenant Colonel Santaella also had the great distinction of being awarded the Army Commendation Medal for being instrumental in the Army's Pathology Lab becoming nationally accredited. After proudly serving his country for 10 years,  Lt. Colonel Santaella retired to private practice.

In private practice, he worked as a pathologist and later as a family practitioner in Southern California.  His last family practice office was in Encinitas, California. Quite adept in San Diego's social circles, he was often known as simply “The Doctor,” to his numerous friends.  An extremely caring doctor, he often provided free or near free medical care to low income patients.

He was an avid bird watcher, often impressing professional birding trip leaders with his encyclopedic memory of the Latin names for each bird, as well as the common English names. He organized annual Christmas Bird Counts in Rancho Santa Fe, California and Alamos, Sonora. He birded and traveled extensively in many parts of the world, from Tahiti to the tip of South America in Tierra del Fuego!

Luis spoke several languages including Spanish, English, French and German. A big "Jeopardy" fan, his forte besides birds naturally, was always geography and history, though the breadth of his knowledge was vast. He loved English mystery programs, "Law and Order", crime dramas, as well as musicals and operas, having been a long-time patron of the San Diego Opera. 

Predeceased by his beloved father Luis Antonio Santaella, he is survived by his life partner Dennis; his mother Idalia Latimer Santaella; siblings Alfredo (Freddy) and Idalie; children John, Luis Eric, Rene and Suzy; eight grandchildren and friends all over the world.

He will be interred in the Santaella Family crypt in Cemetario Maria Magdalena in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico: the oldest cemetary in the New World! In this beautiful spot overlooking the sea, our beloved Luis will lie in peace in the "La Isla del Encanto" from whence he came and he loved so much. Vaya con Dios, "Luisito".

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Audubon Society are suggested.