Willadean Perez

On Friday, December 16, 2022, Willadean Perez (Dean) passed away in a Burleson, Texas hospital, due to her heart issues. Her heart had worn out; she used it a lot. Dean was born in Brilliant, Alabama, on October 9, 1934, to Belton Andrew Vickery and Lillie Corkren Vickery. As you read this obituary, think about what it might have been like to have been Dean, living from 1934 to 2022.

Dean was the second oldest of 10 children; she dropped out of high school after Grade 9 in order to help support her family, working on the family farm. When she married Manuel (Manny) Perez on November 5, 1952, her life took on a faster pace, going in another direction. For the next 20 years, she was an army wife, moving frequently in and out of a variety of duty stations located across Europe and the United States. She and Manny had five children during this season of her life.

Then, when Manny was medically discharged from the army, the pattern of Dean’s life changed again. Again, she found a way to help her family, redefining herself along the way. In order to help well, she needed to earn a high school diploma; so, at the age of 35 she earned her GED. That enabled her to secure a good job at Darnall Army Hospital, Fort Hood, where she worked until she retired in 1995. Manny, her husband, had died earlier, in 1991.

Dean then chose a different kind of adventure, traveling across the United States, before coming full circle, settling down on a small farm outside of Glen Rose. She called it her “happy place.”

Dean was preceded in death by her parents (the Vickerys), her husband, Manny, and seven of her nine brothers and sisters.

She is survived by a host of family, to include her daughters Nancy (Kenneth) Farris of Killeen and Shirley (Larry) Barker of Nemo, Texas. She is also survived by sons, Raymond (Kerry) Perez of Harker Heights, Mike (Suzanne) Perez of Killeen and Jerry Perez of Killeen. She is survived by a sister, Gail Spann of Winfield, Alabama and a brother, Donald Vickery of Diana, Texas. Mrs. Perez is also survived by six grandchildren, Neil Farris, Dusty Perez, Ryan Perez, Marisa Wright, Tori Chandler and Alexis Valdez. Mrs. Perez is also survived by eight great grandchildren, Laurel Farris, Ashton Farris, Paisley Wright, Fletch Hutka, Tres Valdez, Cooper Perez, Emma Martin and Elyse Valdez.

Dean died as she had lived, working hard and loving hard. Her family is her legacy.

Pallbearers will be her family members, Neil Farris, Dusty Perez, Ryan Perez,

Ashton Farris, Chris Wright and Frankie Valdez.

Graveside services will be held at the Central Texas Veterans Cemetery on Thursday, December 29, at 1:00 PM

If you feel moved to do so, you may send flowers or make a donation to a senior citizen center or a Veterans’ cause of your choice. She was passionate about both. Questions may be voiced to her daughter, Nancy at [email protected].

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crawfordbowersfuneralhome.com for the Perez family.