MIGUEL EMILIO PEREZ

June 20, 1937 - July 13, 2021

Miguel Emilio Perez, 84 of Miami (Westchester), formerly of Paterson New Jersey passed away peacefully on July 13, 2021 surrounded by his loving family after a long battle with cancer. He was born in Chaparra, Cuba, on June 20, 1937. He was married to the love of his life for 63 years. He worked for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for 33 years until he retired to Miami. He is survived by his wife Maria Amalia Abreu, his daughters Maria Gobo and husband Altair; Audrey Zatarain and husband Ernesto. Grandchildren Alexander and Michael Gobo; Daniel, Sabrina and Juliana Zatarain. Miguel Emilio came to the United States in 1963, sacrificing everything he knew and loved in search of freedom... He came on the bottom of a Red Cross Cargo Ship, “The American Surveyor” , with his wife and 4 year old daughter. They were exchanging prisoners from The Bay of Pigs for medicine in Miami. He had the shirt on his back, no money, no family and didn’t speak the language, but he was determined to raise his young family in a free country. He was the true American success story. He suffered poverty, oppression and hardship but he worked diligently and raised, educated and married two daughters and never complained. By example and his life lessons he gave his family all the tools to achieve success. He loved his wife, Maria Amalia, with total devotion until the very end and his love and pride for his daughters and grandchildren was evident in his every waking day. He will always be remembered as a man of honor, pride and loyalty. He will be dearly missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him. A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 30, 2021 at Van Orsdel Chapel in Coral Gables, 4600 SW 8th Street from 1pm to 3:30pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Miguel Emilio Perez’s honor to: [email protected] This donation will help to Cuban’s on the island refill phone number minutes and data to keep open a direct line of communication. The goal is to provide Cubans access to their families and to the internet where they can keep the world informed. Please do not write Cuba, Cubans, or Cubano in the memo. The banks have blocked past donations for this reason. Thank you and may God bless Cuba and the USA.