Manuel Perez

Manuel Perez May 4, 1931 October 4, 2014 Manuel Perez, better known as "Grandpa" to his devoted family and friends, is at last reunited with his beloved Doa Flora, having peacefully passed away at home surrounded by his children and grandchildren, on October 4, 2014. A reception for family and friends will be 7:00 9:00 p.m., Thursday, October 9, at the Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Mr. Perez was born in Havana, Cuba on May 4, 1931, and was married to the former Miss Lidia Pita of Havana, Cuba on December 9, 1950, until her passing in 2000 at the age of 65. Together, they had three children: two sons, Mr. Pedro Perez and Mr. Jose Perez, each of Waco, Texas, and their youngest daughter, Mrs. Alina Socarrs of Weston, Florida. Fleeing the Cuban revolution, the young family left the only country they had ever known in 1960 for the safety and freedom of the United States. Starting over from scratch, Mr. Perez and his wife settled first in Newark, New Jersey, and then in Waco from 1979. By the time he retired, Mr. Perez had sent their three children to college and saw each of them married, happy, and prosperous in their adopted homeland. Mr. Perez is survived by his three children, his daughters-in-law, Annette and Jamie, the latter who cared for him selflessly during his ongoing battle with cancer, his son-in-law, Siuberto, and also by his four grandchildren, Rachel and her husband, Christopher, of New York City, Alex and Adrian of Waco, and Celine of Boston, with whom he spent many happy days in his retirement and of whom he was very proud. His family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the many doctors and nurses at both Providence Hospital and the Waco Surgical Center, who have cared for Grandpa over many years, and who thereby gifted his family an additional decade to spend with their cherished Grandpa. Special thanks are due to Doctors Timothy Martindale, Jeff Sanders, and Carlos Encarnacin. The family also thanks Providence Hospice, and especially Margie Green, who went out of their way to make sure Grandpa's final day was as peaceful as possible. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.