Petrona Belza-Ramirez

Dr. Petrona Belza-Ramirez, age 82, passed away on Thursday, September 17, 2015 in her Chambersburg home, after a long battle with cancer. She was the only child of the late Tomas and Teofila Belza, born April 18, 1933, in the Philippines. Petrona was a 1956 graduate of Manila Central University School of Medicine (Philippines). She served her U.S. medical internship at Lawrence Hospital (Bronxville,NY); and Pathology residencies at: Wayne County General Hospital (Eloise, MI), and Chester Hospital (now Chester-Crosier Medical Center) (Chester, PA). She served her Pathology Fellowship in Victoria Hospital (Univ. of Western Ontario Medical School) in London, Ontario, Canada. Petrona was a member of Corpus Christi Church since 1966. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, traveling the world, and her important role as mother and “Lola” (i.e., nurturer, doctor, nurse, teacher, house engineer, taxi driver, cook, etc.) to her children, grand-children and great-grandchildren. Petrona is survived by her husband of 59 years, Dr. Constancio Ramirez, whom she married on April 18, 1956, and their five children and their families: Susan Ford (Louis) of Randallstown, MD, Mary Ann Riesenberg (William) of Alexandria, VA, Peter Ramirez (Jill) of Missouri City TX, Dr. Thomas Ramirez (Patricia) of Annandale, VA, and Mark Ramirez (Tiffannie) of Chambersburg; including 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 AM on Friday, September 25, in Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 320 Philadelphia Ave. Chambersburg, with The Very Rev. Luis R. Rodriguez V. F. officiating. Interment will follow in Corpus Christi Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM on Thursday, September 24, in the Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home Inc., 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg, with a Catholic Rosary Service at 8 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Chambersburg, 320 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg, PA 17201.