Tom Perez

Thomas Perez was a man of character, of love and of faith. He learned early in life that material possessions matter little and that family comes first. He was caring and sensitive, a good listener who uplifted those who came to him with words of encouragement. Tom was a proud, hardworking man, who, at the same time, was not afraid to show his emotions. His love for his wife, children and grandchildren was evident and he found great joy in them. Throughout his life, Tom lent his great sense of humor and compassion to everyone around him and in doing so, brightened many lives.

The year 1947 marked a time of great change for America, as it did throughout the world. With the end of World War II, thousands of young servicemen returned home to start their families, and the Baby Boom was quickly underway. David and Mary Ellen (Clark) Perez of Flint, Michigan were among the many expecting parents, and on January 3, 1947, they delighted in welcoming the birth of their second son, Thomas. Along with his older brother, David, Tom grew up in the thriving industrial town of Flint, and attended St. John Vianney Catholic School. He was very athletic and enjoyed playing football, basketball and baseball. Baseball was possibly his favorite sport and he excelled as a pitcher all through high school and after, playing on city leagues. When his arm eventually went out, Tom became the catcher for various softball teams.

Immediately after graduating from high school in 1965, Tom went to work as a lineman for Consumers Energy. He was a very loyal and hardworking employee of Consumers for 40 years, and he truly enjoyed his job too. Tom eventually became the Local President before going into management as the Operations Supervisor.

During this time, Tom was blessed with four wonderful children: Tara, Tomi, Charles and Ben. A man of strong values, Tom wanted to be a good father to his kids, and through his example, he taught them the things that matter in life, like working hard to achieve one’s goals while treating people with respect and kindness along the way. Though above all, he simply wanted them to be happy, to be good people, and to know that they were loved. Like in his childhood, Tom was actively involved in sports with his boys, and they both went on to attend college on sports scholarships. Tom was also truly proud of his two children who have served in the Army National Guard, and worried over them when they were serving overseas in the Middle East.

Tom was known for being quite a gentleman with old fashion manners, like opening doors for ladies. It was because of those manners that Tom had the great fortune of meeting his future wife, Linda Hopp. She was the Instructor of a class he was taking for his job, and he offered to carry her materials to class for her. It wasn’t long before love blossomed between the two and they were happily married on June 9, 1995. A few years after saying “I do”, the couple moved to St. Johns, which was the middle point between their jobs in Jackson and Saginaw.

Tom learned at an early age to love the outdoors. His father took him hunting and fishing as a child, something Tom missed greatly. As he got older, Tom continued to be an avid outdoorsman, taking many memorable hunting and fishing trips with his best buddies. To sharpen his hunting skills, Tom built a firing range in his backyard, and a bow range in his basement. He was also a longtime member of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. and the National Rifle Association. Then, one day, things took a turn when his wife Linda asked what it was that he liked about his trips with his buddies. Tom replied “they were fun” to which she remarked, “If they are so fun, why don’t you take me?” From that moment on, Linda became Tom’s constant hunting and fishing buddy. They enjoyed a number of fishing trips to Alaska together, and looked forward to duck and deer hunting season every year. In fact, they were already preparing for the upcoming hunting season. The only other thing that Tom loved as much as hunting and fishing was spending time with his dogs. He even had a large screen TV in the dog barn.

There was nothing more important to Tom than his family. He was always generous with his great hugs and never missed an opportunity to tell his family “I love you.” Tom was a doting grandfather to his three precious grandchildren, and loved spending time with them. Tom’s heart was always full of love and concern for his family. When his son, Ben, was injured while serving in Iraq, Tom vigilantly stayed by his side as he recovered at Walter Reed Hospital, despite his own major health problems.

Always a devoted husband, father and grandfather, Tom will be frequently remembered and greatly missed by the family he so dearly loved.

Thomas A. Perez, age 62 of St. Johns, MI died on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at his home. He is survived by his wife, Linda; his children: Tara Perez, Tomi Perez, Charles (Erica) Perez, and Ben Perez; grandchildren: Sarah, Dustin and Lauren Ford; brother, David (Merrilee) Perez; a niece and many nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Johns with the Rev. Fr. Eoin Murphy serving as Celebrant. Burial will be at a later date. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Friday, September 25, with a Vigil Service being held at 7 p.m. on Friday at Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ducks Unlimited, Inc., 1 Waterfowl Way, Memphis, TN 38120. Please visit Tom’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with his family or sign his online guest book.