Dear Dad,

Where do I begin?

I was a troubled young man, lost and unsure of my place in the world. I’ll never forget the day my mom brought me to your house, crying, and told you she couldn’t handle me anymore.

You barely knew me, yet you looked at her and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.”

You didn’t owe me anything, but you opened your home, your heart, and your life to me. The next morning, you woke me up and took me to work. That day became the beginning of one of the greatest blessings of my life.

You didn’t just give me a place to stay. You gave me purpose, direction, and a chance to become somebody. You taught me how to work hard, provide for my family, carry myself with dignity, and become a good husband, father, and man.

I know I made mistakes, but you never gave up on me. You never turned your back on me. You continued to love me, guide me, and believe in me when I struggled to believe in myself.

You may have been my father-in-law by marriage, but in my heart, you became my father by love.

Everything I am today carries something you taught me. In the way I work, the decisions I make, and the way I care for my family, a part of you lives through me.

When God called you home on September 28th, a part of my heart went with you. I wish I could share one more morning at work, hear your voice, and tell you how much you meant to me.

You gave me more than a home, a job, or a helping hand. You gave me a second chance at life and showed me what unconditional love truly means.

I can never repay you, but I can honor you by becoming the man you believed I could be. I will carry your lessons, values, work ethic, and love for family with me always, and I will pass them on to my children.

You may not have given me life, Dad, but you taught me how to live it.

I love you, I miss you, and I will always be grateful to call you my father.

Forever your son,

Raymond

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OBITUARY

Jose "JOEY" Perez

April 13, 1955 – September 28, 2026

Oakdale Mortuary & Memorial Park

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