DAVID SANTANA JR.

1975-2020

David Santana Jr., 44, of Houston, Texas, passed away April 25, 2020.

David was born September 30, 1975, Houston, Texas. He graduated from Sharpstown High School in 1994, during which time, at age 17, he fought and won his first battle with cancer. He attended the University of St. Thomas in Houston, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Communications in 1998 and then a Masters in Education in 2001.

David’s career included executive positions for multiple Chambers of Commerce, as well as a unit executive director for the American Cancer Society. His true calling was in Montessori Education, becoming a teacher at Garden Oaks Montessori. He established the Montessori middle school program at Garden Oaks and then went on to create Texas’s first public high school Montessori program at Waltrip High School, where he was the Montessori Program Director. He was an inspiration to many for his dedication to his students and to life.

David was a brilliant and avid hobbyist. He volunteered as a docent at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where he became an expert on ancient Egypt. He was an active member of the White Horse Academy of Martial Arts, earning a Red Belt and was ready for his Black Belt test. He was a master of the art of quilting, lego-making, and games.

He is survived by his parents, David Sr. and Enriquetta; his younger sister Diana; his younger brother Michael; and his three cats, Darwin, Emma, and Ally.