Juan Perez Jr.

The moon lit up the sky the night he left us. The last super moon of the year hung high, its light blanketing the earth below, the night before he passed. Dropping low and trading places with the rising sun as he slipped through the veil of heaven and earth and transitioned to the place where he is finally safe and free. 

He was known as “Junie” to his family and closest friends. Sandwiched between two sisters in age, at 56 years years old, Juan Perez, Jr. died peacefully at The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga on September 30th, 2023.  

He lived with a severe traumatic brain injury for the last 6 years, but his life and his impact on the world are not marked by the suffering he endured, but rather by his character and what he meant to so many people in his orbit. He was a husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friend and the holes that have been left behind with his absence will be shaped like him forever.  

Juan was born on June 12, 1967. He grew up in Peekskill, NY as a boy with a love for sports and fishing and just general mischief. With a grin that could get him out of anything and a laugh that would fill a room, Juan grew into a miracle of a man and built a life, that by all accounts, he was not likely to have, considering the challenges he faced as a young boy.   

As he grew, he collected his people along the way. People that would shape him and soften him and continue to remind him of who he was and what he was capable of. Those people, he never let go of. Even through distance and time, he held onto friendships from his childhood and the many stops along the way in life, that gave him the courage and the joy that was needed to survive. They did life together no matter how tough it got. They weren’t just friends, they were brothers.  

When Juan graduated from high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. A decision that would shape the rest of his life. The Air Force provided him the guidance and structure that propelled him into the world of transportation, where he would spend a majority of his career.  He retired after 20 years of service and that’s something he took great pride in.  

Juan was proud of his career, but he was most content when he spoke about his family and he did it any chance he could. He and Tracy were married for 35 years and together had two children, Shea and Christian. Shea married Sean Stevens and had two children, Remy and Jack. Juan loved Sean like a son and the time he would have been able to spend with his grandchildren as they grew, would have lit up his whole world. 

Christian recently got married to Hannah and although Juan was only able to know her for a short time before his injury, we know that he would be proud of the love they share. He would have been so proud of the man that Christian has become.  

He adored his sisters, Kristina and Sonia (Rob). They were thick as thieves. Any time they were together there was an abundance of laughter and fun. Their bond was one that could never be broken. Through all of the curveballs that life threw at them, they faced it all together. Juan loved their children as if they were his own, five nephews between them, Frank, Will, Dominic, Nicholas and Anthony. He passed down his love of the New York Yankees to them, even though Rob is a Mets fan.  

When Juan played golf, he was a trash talker. It was one of his favorite hobbies, golf and trash talking and his brother in-laws Kent (Shonna) and David (Tina) got to partake in those activities when they’d visit. Juan’s nephews, Zach and Josh would come too and learn the art of an innocent verbal smackdown on the course. Juan spent a lot of school breaks with Landen and Lucas, they’d come to visit and have popsicles on the back porch swing and wrestle with him in the living room.  

No matter which side of the family it was, spending time with the people he loved meant everything to him.  

We could write a multitude of words to tell the story of a life well lived, but for those of you that knew Juan, you already know how magnificent he was. How generous and thoughtful he was. How dedicated and loyal he was. There will never be enough words or enough good-byes to make his death sting any less, but in this life we know, we were the lucky ones. 

We look forward to seeing you all and sharing stories about the guy we loved so much.  

A visitation will be held at McDonald and Son Funeral Home on Friday, October 6th, 2023, from 11:00AM to 2:00PM, followed by a memorial service at 2:00PM in the chapel of McDonald and Son.

In lieu of flowers we are asking for donations to be made in Memory of Juan to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga.  

Go to:  

https://foundation.shepherd.org/how-to-give/donate/ 

Select the amount you’d like to donate and then select “dedicate donation”, “in memory of” and put in Juan Perez. 

Condolences may be expressed at www.mcdonaldandson.com.

Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home, 150 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 886.9899