Rene Mario Perez

Born on August 13, 1955, in Cuba, Rene was the son of Ildemar Torres and Rene Olipo Perez. Though he eventually made his home in the United States, Cuba remained a part of who he was. He carried his heritage with pride and passed that pride down to his family.

Rene was the loving husband of Carmen Perez and the proud father of Hector, Jessie, and Juany. He wasn't a man who expressed himself with a lot of words, but his actions spoke volumes. He showed his love by working hard, being there when it mattered, and doing whatever he could for the people he cared about.

He spent many years as a truck driver and proud member of the Teamsters, dedicating himself to providing for his family. He also served in the Cuban military when he was young, a reflection of the discipline and toughness that would stay with him throughout his life.

Anyone who knew Rene knew he was a straight shooter. He told it like it was, never sugarcoated the truth, and could spot nonsense from a mile away. You always knew where you stood with him. While he could be tough, he also had a sense of humor that often-caught people off guard. He loved to laugh, make others laugh, and had a knack for delivering a dad joke at just the right moment.

More than anything, Rene loved his family. He leaves behind his wife, Carmen; his children, Hector, Jessie, and Juany; his beloved brother, Mario, and sister, Miriam; his grandchildren, Jazmyn, Pedro, Jayson, Nyasia, Junior, Julissa, Jaleen, Celeste, and Hector; and his great-grandchildren, Jaydah, Zaniah, MilaJay, Jax, Kanan, NovaLee, Sofia, Pedro, Jael, Leyana, Messiah, Yesenia, and Azairius. He is also survived by his beloved nieces and nephews, Julia, Johnny, and Jenny, along with many relatives and friends who loved him dearly.

To us, he wasn't just Pops. He was the man we called when we needed advice, when something needed fixing, or when life got hard. He taught us the value of hard work, loyalty, honesty, and resilience. He may not have always said "I love you," but we never doubted it.

Our hearts are heavy with his loss, but we are grateful for the years, memories, lessons, and laughter we shared. We will miss his voice, his stories, his stubbornness, his humor, and his presence at every family gathering.

Rest easy, Pops. Your work here is done. We love you, we thank you, and we will carry you with us always.

Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our Pops. ❤️

Visitation will be held at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, 2198 K-Ville Ave, Auburndale, FL 33823, US, on October 9, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will take place at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, 2198 K-Ville Ave, Auburndale, FL 33823, US, on October 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM. He will be laid to rest at Glen Abbey Memorial Gardens.