Rita DeLeon Perez

Rita was born in Waco, Texas on March 19, 1926 to Santiago and Josefina DeLeon and was the youngest of 2 brothers (John and Mack) and 2 sisters (Maria and Jesse). She married Isaac G. Perez and in 1952 she had her first child, Isaac Perez, Jr. with a second son, Ronnie, following in 1960.

In addition to being an attentive mother to Ike and Ronnie, Rita had a generous and open spirit and invited into her home and her heart, John DeLeon and Karen Omodt, to raise as her own.

She was fiercely independent and was content to walk or take the bus often miles to work each day because she never learned to drive. In her prime, you would find her happily taking the bus into downtown Austin to shop at Leon’s Shoe Store or browse the scarves at Scarborough’s, though inevitably she seemed to always find her way into Piccadilly’s Cafeteria for some coffee and pie.

Rita was, by trade, a dedicated private duty nurse and continued working into her 80s. During her career, she sometimes cared for patients at Windsor Nursing Center which is where she would eventually take her last breath as a patient herself.

Rita is survived by many who love her. They are her children, Isaac Perez, Jr. and his wife Kay, Ronnie Perez, Karen Omodt, and daughter-in-law Sophia DeLeon; granddaughters, Shannon Perez Green (Kevin), Shelli Perez Lorton (Alan), and Jenny Harrison (Shawna); Johnny’s children, John DeLeon, Jr. and Lisa DeLeon; great-grandsons James Isaac Lemon, Justus Green, Ella Holcomb, Alistair Harrison-Holcomb; special family friend, Sharon Baybayan, and many other friends and family who were touched by her time on this earth.

Though dementia quieted her mind over the years, she never lost her sweet and kind spirit even as her light dimmed. It brings her family happiness to know she is now rejoicing in heaven with those she loved who preceded her, especially, John DeLeon, her parents and brothers and sisters.

A graveside celebration of her life will be held Saturday, September 17, 2016 at 3 pm located at Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery, 330 Berry Lane, Georgetown, Texas 78628.