Xavier Villafuerte Perez

Xavier Villafuerte Perez passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by loved ones, on January 16, 2026, at the age of 67. Xavier was a devoted husband to his dear wife, Jackie Vera Perez, and a fun-loving father to his six children: Chris, Andre, Melanie, Laura, Erik, and Heather. He was a proud and cherished Abuelo to his eight grandchildren: Evan, James, Sofia, Alesa, Valerie, Joslyn, Elijah, and Aaryaa. And he was loved as a real father by his sons- and daughter-in-law: Stefanie, Krishnan, and Elliot.

Born on February 1, 1958, in his beloved Salvatierra, Guanajuato, Mexico, Xavier bravely immigrated alone to the United States at just 14 years old. He began a career in carpentry, and through determination and a strong work ethic, he worked his way up to Superintendent for Walsh Construction where he oversaw major projects across the Chicagoland area, Texas, California, Florida, and Delaware to name a few. Outside of work he seemed to always run into coworkers, and watching their conversations said everything – he was a beloved colleague, the kind that people were always glad to see again.

Loved and respected by friends and family, he was someone many would go to for advice and help, and he was always more than happy to assist in any way he could. He was also never short on memorable words of wisdom. Some of his classics are: “Don’t spit into the wind!” and “If you don’t have a plan A, have a plan B”.

Xavier was known for his love of music, array of hats, apple picking, farmers markets, soccer jerseys, sports, travel, gardening, tequila tastings with friends, Sam Adams beer, slapstick comedy, Lucha Libre, the WWF, National Geographic and celebrating his Mexican culture. He had a song for everything, a joke to lighten any situation, and a gift in hand for every visit, no matter how casual.

While his passing leaves an immeasurable void, we find joy in knowing Xavier’s legacy lives on through the many lessons he taught – focus on education and never stop learning; take care of your health; live within your means; hard work pays off; offer help when visiting someone’s home; forgive and forgive again; laughter is a cure-all, and remember to always “shoot for the moon, because even if you fall short, at least you’re among the stars”.

Visitation will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home in Forest Park, IL on Sunday, January 25th from 4 - 8 pm, followed by his Celebration of Life service on Monday, January 26th at 11:30 am.

In honor of his love for flowers, floral tributes are more than welcome.

Interment will occur at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery & Mausoleums, located at 1400 S Wolf Rd, Hillside, IL 60162, on January 26, 2026.