Perfecto N. Hernandez passed away on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at the age of 92.
Pepe, as he was fondly known to all, was born in Naguabo, Puerto Rico and moved to The Villages in 1992. He served in the U. S. Army for 22 years and then worked for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of NYC for another 20. He was married for 50 years to Bruna Hernandez, who pre-deceased him in 2002.
Mr. Hernandez’s military career enabled him to travel the world, learn to speak multiple languages and form life-long friendships with a diversity of people. His crowning achievement was meeting his wife, Bruna, on his first overseas assignment to Trieste, Italy. He was very proud of his final military assignment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he bridged a relationship between the US and the Brazilian Armies.
He recently participated in the Flightless Honor Flight Program, designed to give a proper thanks to veterans, age 65 and over, who served stateside or overseas, wartime or peacetime. This served as a major highlight for him in the last few months of his life.
Mr. Hernandez was an avid bowler and bingo player, along with his wife. He enjoyed playing softball and watching baseball – ever the loyal Mets fan. His greatest joy was spending time with his family.
He is survived by his three daughters, Mary Hernandez, Susan Valle and Elizabeth McAuliffe, son-in-law Mark McAuliffe, grandchildren Jason Valle and wife Kristina, Erica Valle-Wunder and husband Thomas, Lauren McAuliffe, and Alexandra McAuliffe and great-granddaughter Eliza Jane Valle.
A Mass of Christian burial will be Celebrated at 8:30 am on Thursday, Oct. 3, at St. Timothy Catholic Church, Lady Lake, with Father Gerald Shovelton as Celebrant. Interment will be at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell.
Family and friends will be greeted at the Beyers Funeral Home, Inc., Lady Lake from 3-5 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at which a wake service will also be held at 4:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation, 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL 32778-9648 in honor of Perfecto N. Hernandez.
