Aleida P. Perez, 90, passed away on September 24, 2017, in the presence of her daughter. She was born on February 20, 1927 in Guinia de Miranda, Cuba. The oldest of seven children, who by her own admission, enjoyed a wonderful, fun-filled childhood. She looked up to her father and always flushed with pride when talking about him. He was a great source of inspiration and instilled in his oldest daughter many of his great personal attributes. Her mother was the patriarch of the family who lived until the age of 107 and a great source of strength and inspiration to all of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. This foundation would set the stage for a life full of memories. In her early teens she moved to Trinidad and subsequent Havana to complete High School. She earned her first college degree in Public Accounting in the 1940s and her doctorate in Education in 1959 in Santa Clara, Cuba. She met her husband, Israel Perez Rios in this phase of her life. They were married on June 10, 1950 and went on to have four children; Esperanza, Israel, Rodolfo, and Eduardo. The family immigrated to the United States in 1970. Initially settled in Newark, New Jersey where she earned her third higher education degree, Masters in Arts from Montclair State College. In the mid-70s the family relocated to Lake Worth, FL where they lived for over twenty years. Aleida was a dedicated and passionate teacher who worked well into her 70s and impacted the life of many children. She taught at South Olive and Palmetto Elementary Schools in Palm Beach County. Many of her former students would often see her around town and always engaged her warmly. Her energy and enthusiasm was contagious. She traveled the world and by her own admission got to visit places she never imagined while growing up in Guinia, a small rural town. While living in Loxahatchee, FL during her 70s and 80s she was blessed with great grandchildren. A teacher at heart she was very hands on teaching them Spanish and how to trim bushes in the yard. She enjoyed watching soap operas and her favorite show was Casos Cerrado. She is survived by her four children, four siblings (Alicia, Margot, Mateo, and Onesimo "Mito"), six grandchildren (Christine, Pedro, Daniel, Adrian, Elizabeth, and Israel), five great grandchildren (Ariana, Gabriel, Alina, Giovanni, and Daniela), and numerous nieces and nephews scattered throughout the world. She will be greatly missed by all her family members whose life she impacted in so many ways. Her only regret and unfulfilled dream was to one day return to a free and democratic Cuba. She was unbelievably grateful to the United States for the opportunities this country gave her and was an unapologetic defender of the American values and culture. She always offered her wisdom, put things in proper perspective, and never passed up teachable moments. She leaves a big void that will be hard to fill. Rest in Peace in Heaven. We will miss you.
