Cecilia M. Perez

Friends and family are invited to attend on September 13 2012 from 1-5 PM at the McCracken Funeral Home 1500 Morris Avenue, Union NJ. A funeral mass will be held on September 14 at 10 AM at St. Genevieve Church, 200 Monmouth Road, Elizabeth, NJ

Born Cecilia Magarino on November 22, 1937, in Santiago de Cuba, Cecilia moved to New York City in 1961 following the Cuban Revolution, thereafter residing in Elizabeth, NJ and later San Francisco, CA from 1985 until her passing.

Cecilia was a devoted mother and a strident advocate for the mentally ill, who began a successful career first in real estate and business, then switched to social work starting at Catholic Charities in 1972, then rising to be Deputy Director of Disaster Services of the American Red Cross for New York City, while studying to obtain her master's degree at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY. She was in private practice as a Practicing Psychologist and family therapist for many years, then as a Supervising Social Worker at Family and Children's Service (Elizabeth), and finally as a Mental Health Screener at Newark Beth Israel Hospital ( Newark) for 17 years until the very day she passed.

Cecilia was predeceased in 1983 by her first husband, Jose M. Perez, a News Correspondent with United Press International, and then in 1991 by her second husband, Luis H. (Mateo) Hernandez, a well known Elizabeth Businessman. She is survived by her devoted and loving son Alexander J. Perez, and Attorney, and his loving wife Corina, her adoring grandchildren, Michelle Cecilia Perez, Alexander J. Perez II, Amanda Amelie Perez, and Zoe Nicole Perez, all of San Francisco, CA. She is also survived by her step-children Jose M. Perez (Los Angeles), Antonio Perez( Pittsburgh), Roberto Perez ( Los Angeles), Lipe Hernandez ( Elizabeth), and Pepe Hernandez (Miami).