Nelida Espada Prottenger

Nelida Espada Prottenger, 87, loving wife, mother, and grandmother, died Thursday, April 26, 2018. Born in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, she was the daughter of the late Vincente Espada and Manuela Negron Espada. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, John Theodore Prottenger, and three of her children, Samuel Hernandez, Israel Hernandez, and Rosa Briggs. Nelida was a woman of strong faith with an endless love for others. She was an amazing cook and got great enjoyment from preparing meals for large family gatherings. She will be fondly remembered as a strong woman who loved her family more than anything. She is survived by her children, Felix Luis Hernandez, Jr. and wife, Sharen J. Hernandez, Anibal Hernandez, and Daisy Maria Hernandez; sister, Alejandrina Montanez and husband, Johnny; brothers, Delores Espada and Ramon Espada and wife, Onelia Lopez; grandchildren, Antonio Hernandez, Christina Ledford, Damian Hernandez, Jeremy Hernandez, Jason Pruett, Katelyn Hernandez, and Samantha Pruett; 12 great-grandchildren, and her son-in-law, Spencer Briggs. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2018 at Virginia Veterans Cemetery, Amelia, VA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Services are under the direction of the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .