PORTRAIT OF AN OUTSTANDING FATHER

By Noel Serrano

A year ago today,Francisco Serrano closed his eyes and embraced his reward. God had granted him 89 years and he lived every moment with an unbelievable joy and exuberance. He was the type of a rare breed of men that people wanted to be around him. He was cheerful, friendly and full of joy. As a young boy, he would stay very close to an old Missionary named Drury. This old, reverent man taught Panchito English and taught him how to confront life. His two Uncles Jose and Juan Cruz were also very influential in Francisco's life and upbringing. Francisco developed a quick wit and an amazing ability to tell stories that made one feel as if one was there. My Father never had much in life. He was raised by his Grandmother because his young mother Felicita was too busy taking care of herself, her husband and her large family. Francisco was raised in the hills of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. His two uncles Jose and Juan were brought up together as brothers. Puerto Rico in the 1920s, were tough times. In the years ahead, the Great Depression would make this tiny island even more difficult for the families that struggled to survive. Francisco often spoke about a young Missionary named Mr Drury. He mentored the young Francisco and taught him English and about nobility, love of God and country. The young boy learned well and became a very responsible and devoted tutor. Mr Drury became very fond of young Francisco and helped him very much during these early years. There friendship was very similar to that of the two stars in the movie; the Karate kid. Francisco spoke to us about the many antics that he and his sister Mina use to do in between doing their daily chores. One day Panchito (as he was nick-named forever) gazed up at the big ducks flying about. This really impressed him. He went into the barn and saw the baby pigs and wondered out loud if they could fly too. One by one, Panchito threw them way up to the sky and they made a loud thump as they plunged to the ground. Some of those little pigs did not feel so well. When Panchito's grandparents came home and saw the sprawled pigs, they inquired; "What happened, Little Panchito was starry eyed and stood angelically quiet. His little sister Mina declared; "Pano, Pano, Bolla, Bolla," {fly, fly) The grand parents quickly learned what had happened. Panchito was whipped for this little undertaking. The ancestors of the Serranos originally came from Spain. By the turn of the century, many Spaniards migrated from their native land to settle on the island of Puerto Rico. many of these families moved to the little towns that were then, forming. Others settled in the hills of Adjuntas and Guaraguao, Ponce, where they would form little communities. They would live in Spanish-styled homes leading a simple yet hard-working existence with their families.
It was in the outskirts of the village of Adjuntas that Mr. and Mrs. Jeronimo Serrano lived Jeronimo and Felicita lived in a small framed house They were two young happy souls who were well known as Don Jeron and Fita by the people that lived close by. Jeron was a head Farmer, working hard in the nearby fields as a Supervisor. Fita was the daughter of Francisco and Juana Pabon Her father had died when she was a little girl. Fita's Mother, Juana (Dona Lula) re-married to a man by the name of Jose Cruz. Don Chepo and Lula had fraternal twins by the names of Jose and Juan.
In the year 1917, Fita gave birth to their first baby boy. He was named Monserrate, later known as Tato. Three years late, Fita was at her mother's house awaiting the birth of their second child. They had gone to don Chepo's house because of a raging storm that threatened the village. Chepo had a large sturdy house that could withstand any tropical storm that was to come. As the rain poured down from the dark cloudy skies of Ponce, Don Jeron and the others anxiously awaited the baby that was now due at any minute.
It was a dark, stormy evening on December 17th in the year 1919. The people of Adjuntas were all in a state of panic due to the terrible weather they were having. They were also terrified at the alarming news of a comet that was going to crash in the vicinity. All of a sudden, what was recorded as a comet, streaked across the skies of Ponce. There were no reports of it having crashed toward any part of the island. The Town dwellers were terrified at the rare sight but their terror soon turned into joy when they heard the news that Dona Fita had just given birth to a baby boy. He was named Francisco Serrano, later known as Panchito! Francisco Serrano received the American Theater Service Medal, the WW II Victory Medal and four Overseas Service Bars. The World War II Victory Medal is For service in the US Armed Forces between 07 June 1943 and 31 Jan 1946.Description: The bronze medal is 1 3/8 inches in width. On the front is a figure of Liberation standing full length with head turned to Dexter looking to the dawn of a new day, right foot resting on a war god’s helmet with the hilt of a broken sword in the right hand and the broken blade in the left hand, the inscription "WORLD WAR II" placed immediately below the center.

A EULOGY FOR A GIANT

LOSING A LOVED ONE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS WE CAN GO THROUGH.NO WORDS CAN ADEQUATELY EXPRESS THE STRONG EMOTION, THE LOVE AND THE GREAT APPRECIATION THAT WE ALL HAVE FOR THE MAN WHOM WE HONOR AND SEND HIM TO HIS REST TODAY..MY FATHER, FRANCISCO SERRANO WAS BORN IN PONCE, PUERTO RICO ON DECEMBER 17, 1919. HE WAS THE PRODUCT OF A LARGE AND CLOSE KNIT FAMILY. HE WAS A MAN THAT SEEMED TO HAVE DISCOVERED "THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH" THE MANY YEARS OF TOIL AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WAS NEVER REVEALED ON HIS GLOWING COUNTENANCE. THERE ARE MANY WHO BEAR THE SCARS OF A LONG AND CRUEL LIFE, EVEN AT AN EARLY AGE, BUT PANCHITO, AS HE WAS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED BY HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BORE NO SEMBLANCE OF A LONG AND TWILIGHT STRUGGLE, FOR GOD BLESSED HIM WITH A LONG AND ACTIVE LIFE. IN THE MIDST OF CRISES , CHURCH STRUGGLES, AND FAMILY TRAGEDIES. FRANCISCO SERRANO WAS A VERY FRIENDLY AND OUTGOING MAN . HE EMBRACED LIFE TO THE FULLEST , EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HIS FINAL MOMENTS.MY DAD HAD A RICH HISTORY OF CELEBRATED ANTICS IN HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD THAT REVEALED A VERY HAPPY PERSONALITY THAT EMERGED FROM A HUMBLE UPBRINGING.. HE WAS ADMIRED BY HIS YOUNGER SISTERS WHO EMULATED HIM FROM HIS VERY YOUTH.DAD WOULD ALWAYS TELL US THE STORY OF THE TIME WHEN HE WAS AT HIS GRANDPARENT'S FARM, WHEN HE ONCE GAZED UP AT THE HEAVENS AND SAW THE LARGE BIRDS FLYING HIGH ABOVE THE MOUNTAINS OF ADJUNTAS. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF "I WONDER IF I COULD TEACH THESE LITTLE BABY PIGS TO FLY HIGH LIKE THOSE BIRDS " MY FATHER, AS A CHUBBY, LITTLE KID WADDLED TO THE NEARBY BARN AND TOOK THE LITTLE PIGS AND STARTED TO THROW THEM UP IN THE AIR. FRANCISCO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY HIS YOUNGER SISTER MINA, WHO SMILED IN CURIOUS GLEE, AS SHE SAW HER BROTHER ATTEMPTING TO GIVE THESE LITTLE PIGS, FLYING LESSONS. THESE POOR LITTLE PIGS WOULD SWOOP UP AND SPLASH ON THE SOFT GRASS. DAD'S GRANDFATHER CAME TO THE FIELD IN THE EVENING HOURS AND FOUND HIS LITTLE PIGLETS SPLATTERED THROUGHOUT. UNDERSTANDABLY,SOME OF THE PIGS WERE NOT FEELING SO WELL. THE GRANDFATHER CRIED OUT,"WHAT HAPPENED HERE"! "WHO DID THIS? LITTLE MINA CAME RUNNING TO HER GRANDFATHER AND DECLARED..…”.PANO, PANO, VOLLA, VOLLA" MY FATHER ALWAYS RECALLED THIS MOMENT WITH A HEARTY LAUGH, THAT WAS IN HIS NATURE. OUR FAMILY ALWAYS ADMIRED HIS WIT, HIS CHARM AND HIS ENDLESS STORIES OF HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD.. FRANCISCO SERRANO ALWAYS ATTEMPTED TO LIVE HIS LIFE FREE FROM ANXIETY OR STRESS. HE HAD BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH IN HIS LONG AND OFTEN TRAGIC LIFE. HE HAD WITNESSED AND SURVIVED SEVERAL PASSINGS WITHIN HIS LARGE FAMILY. GOD BLESSED OUR BELOVED FATHER WITH LONGEVITY OF LIFE. HE LIVED A STEADFAST AND FAITHFUL LIFE IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD. FRANCISCO SERRANO WAS TAUGHT TO HONOR HIS FATHER AND MOTHER. WHEN HIS DAD DIED YOUNG , HE TOOK CARE OF HIS MOTHER AND YOUNGER BROTHERS AND SISTERS. FRANCISCO SERVED IN THE US ARMY DURING WWII AND RECORDS REVEAL THAT HE SENT HIS MILITARY PAY TO HIS MOTHER.HE WAS THE PROFOUND PRODUCT AND EXAMPLE OF THE "OLD GUARD" AND A MEMBER OF THIS NATION'S GREATEST GENERATION.GOD BLESSES AN INDIVIDUAL THAT THINKS OF OTHERS BEFORE ONESELF. GOD GIVES PROLONGED LIFE TO THOSE THAT HONOR THEIR FATHER AND MOTHER. THIS IS A TRUE COMMANDMENT OF GOD WITH A VIVID PROMISE. GOD ALLOWED FRANCISCO TO OUTLIVE ALL THOSE WHO OVERSHADOWED HIS MEEK AND HUMBLE PERSONA, BUT BEHIND THE FRIENDLY,COUNTRY LOVING, SILVER-HAIRED, CHERRY-FACED EXTERIOR, WAS A MAN THAT TRULY LOVED THE LORD WITH ALL OF HIS HEART, MIND AND SPIRIT. HE LOVED HIS FAMILY WITH EVERY BREATH.THIS WAS A FATHER THAT LABOURED ALL NIGHT AND ALL DAY TO PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY. HE STILL TOOK THE TIME TO BUILD US GO- GO CARTS IN THE SUMMER. HE TOOK US TO THE BEACHES. HE MADE THE TIME TO TAKE HIS WIFE TO TEACH HER BIBLE CLASS, HE TOOK US TO BEAR MOUNTAIN, HE TOOK TIME TO EMBRACE US, TO LOVE US, FOR WE WERE HIS TREASURE. MY FATHER WOULD WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND KNELT BEFORE THE LORD TO INTERCEDE FOR HIS FAMILY. HE BEGAN PRAYING IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, THANKING THE ALMIGHTY FOR ANOTHER DAY OF VICTORY. THE EVENING HOURS WOULD FIND FRANCISCO, ONCE AGAIN , ON HIS KNEES PRAYING OUT LOUD FOR HIS FAMILY, FOR THAT WAS HIS CUSTOM.I WANT TO SAY TO MY BELOVED FATHER, DAD,YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU. YOU WERE AN OUTSTANDING FATHER. I AM SO PROUD TO BE YOUR SON.I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MARIA AND I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THE MANY YEARS THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU, FOR THE EXPERIENCE, THE HONOR AND HIGH PRIVILEGE OF CARING FOR AND SERVING YOU DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE SHARED PRECIOUS MOMENTS TOGETHER AND OUR LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOU BURNS DEEP WITHIN OUR HEARTS. OUR TRUE COMFORT , AT THIS HOUR, IS IN THE REALIZATION THAT YOU FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, THAT YOU NOW GO TO A BETTER RESTING PLACE AND THAT WE WILL SEE YOU ONCE AGAIN ON THAT GREAT MORNING AND WE WILL ALL REJOICE AND SING THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED. WE WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN.