Tributes

Alfredo Travieso Perez was called home to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on November 10, 2014 at the age of 85. Born in San Antonio on November 05, 1929 , he remained here until the age of 11 at which time he left for Michigan to become a migrant worker. He returned to San Antonio and later enlisted in the Army-AirCorp in 1946. He then left the Army for the Air Force, after which, he rounded out his military career in the Naval Reserve. Upon leaving the Navy, he began working for civil service at Kelly AFB, retiring 38 years later from Lackland AFB. Always willing to help others, he was a member of the Wheatley High School Band Booster Club and the Wheatley High School Football Booster Club. Soon there after he started volunteering as a docent for the Institute of Texas Cultures and went out to schools and other venues to teach others about Native American culture. He also volunteered for many Folklife Festivals. At the same time he was a member of two different councils of the Knights of Columbus. Later he became a volunteer for the US Department of the Interior National Park Service, Volunteers-In Parks program and was often seen at San Jose, San Juan, or Mission Espada giving lectures and information on the history of the missions. Also during this time he volunteered with the Memorial Services Detachment at Ft. Sam Houston. Being a direct descendent of at least two of the original Canary Island families, he joined the Canary Island Descendents Association of San Antonio and attended as many functions as he possibly could. He was preceded in death by his mother Teresa Travieso, his father Alfredo Perez, his wife of 49 years, Mary V. Perez, and many uncles, cousins, and one aunt. He is survived by his daughter Valerie Jan Perez, three sister-in-laws, with a special recognition of Mona Gonzales, two brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and good friends. I would like to thank: the VA, both Audie Murphy in San Antonio, and the VA Home in Floresville for all you did for him, Mr. David Caudill, for helping get my dad reconnected with the VA just in the nick of time, Mr. Rick Czarnecki and the other social workers who helped us so much, Dr. Fredrickson for believing in him and giving him hope after his devastating accident, the nurses of the VA Spinal Cord Clinic and Unit, Dr. T., his primary care physician at the Spinal Cord Clinic, Liz, Maria, Susie, Alice, Banny, Delia, Joe, Val, Rachel, and Connie from Continue Care; Lisa, his speech therapist, Denise, his physical and occupational therapist. Thank you Cathy, Kay, Lupe and others from the Alamo Heights Health and Rehab for helping my dad when we were so short on time. I would also like to send a special thank you to Noliz and Gloria, two of the sweetest women in the world who gently cared for my father here at our home. Thank you to my military and civil service family for being patient and supportive of me, my dad was so proud that his daughter found a place among the military he so loved. Thank you Capt. McCaslin for being there on Tuesday, one of the most difficult days of my life. Thank you Elva and Mary Aragon for helping with the house during the first year of my dad's accident. Thank you to my two dearest friends in the world, Jacqueline Hicks-Fears and Sara Olivarri for being my shoulders to cry on and coming to my dad's rescue in the middle of the night when we needed supplies and I could not leave. To my cousin, Karen Tanguma, thank you for being there for me when I needed guidance concerning the care my dad needed in the last days of his life. I would like to thank James Sedillo who stepped up, stayed with my dad and befriended him, entertained, and exchanged stories of the military with him. Lastly, I would like to send a very heart felt thank you to my Aunt Mona, who during these last two years, has been a rock for both my dad and myself, has been there through the laughter and the tears, who traveled 40 miles to stay with my dad when I really needed to be away. My dad was friendly, funny, and wise. He was loved dearly and will be missed greatly. I am blessed to have had him as my dad and can only hope half the person he was.

Tributes

Alfredo Travieso Perez

November 5, 1929 - November 10, 2014