Felipe Pantano

Our union is greatly saddened to announce the passing of Felipe Pantano, a Bellman at the Surrey for more than 30 years.

Early in his life, Felipe and his family left Sicily and moved to Argentina where he met his wife Ester, whom he came to share 55 years with. Later they moved to New York together and had two children, Kathy and Richard. “We shared a whole life together. Felipe was an exemplary father and husband and he always fought for us” Ester shared.

Felipe’s son Richard recalled one of his father’s most endearing qualities, “He had a loud laugh, the kind that would make other people laugh and he was the only person I ever saw laughing during chemo.” Richard remembered fondly how his dad was a caring, kind, and dedicated family man. Felipe had been the one to walk Richard’s wife Kindy down the aisle and was more a father to her than a father-in-law, “He had a lively spirit and always made the most of his life, which I always admired,” Kindy shared.

Felipe’s daughter Kathy recalled a time when she and her dad rescued a stray kitten and brought him home, “We shared a special bond due to our love for animals and he worked a lot to give us everything we wanted.” “He was a special person for me and no one will ever take his place, my heart has a little whole with his name forever,” Kathy expressed. Her husband Guillermo added, “He was energetic and made everyone laugh, I looked up to him and we will miss him dearly.”

Felipe enjoyed riding his bike everywhere, gardening, and he always had a passion project. He will be missed greatly by his wife Ester, children Richard and Kathy, daughter-in-law and son-in-law Kindy and Guillermo, and his three beloved grandchildren Myra, Anaya, and Joshua.