Obituary of Terry Frank Peres

Terry Frank Peres, of Palm Bay, Florida, passed away unexpectedly on February 15th. He passed away due to a chronic medical condition while visiting family. He was 74 years old. He was born on November 14, 1948 in Mt. Clemens, Michigan to parents Leo Peres and Helen (Miller) Peres, of Punta Gorda, Florida. A native of Mt. Clemons, Michigan, Terry moved with his family to Florida, as a child. His maternal grandparents had relocated to Punta Gorda eight years prior, so the Peres family packed up all of their belongings into their travel trailer, his dad’s Chevy pickup, and their family car, and headed south. Terry’s dad, Leo Peres, quickly established himself as a local builder of custom homes. Terry and his siblings explored their new area by bike, and often would play a baseball game called “500” with their dad at the local park. Terry, his brothers, and their dad built and flew U-control airplanes, HO gauge model train layouts, raced go-carts competitively. He was intelligent and talented, and loved spending time and working with our dad in his workshop. He graduated from Charlotte High School in 1966 and began working full-time at Publix. In 1967, he went to work for his father, first in car repair, and then home construction. Terry began his post-secondary education at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He paused his studies to enlist in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was stationed in Florida, Colorado, and Misawa, Japan. Upon completion of his service, he settled in Orlando with his then-wife (Louise), son (Terry), and first daughter (Tanya), and resumed his studies. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Florida Technological University (now University of Central Florida) in December 1977 (less than a month after he and Louise welcomed their third child, Julie). He put his degree to good use as a mechanical engineer for many years at Harris Semiconductor and later Intersil Corp. in Melbourne, Florida. Terry was a good, generous, and loving brother and will be missed by all his family. He loved our Lord and Savior. He always helped his neighbors and family. He was constantly helping to remodel a kitchen, bathroom, sewing room, or anything that involved carpentry work. He loved playing his guitar and building things in his own workshop. He had his private pilot’s license and loved flying for recreation until his health no longer allowed him this pleasure of being as free as a bird. Free By Michele Meleen I am free to fly on wind, to catch the breeze, floating where I please. I am free to shine with the sun, to light up the day in my own special way. I am free without my body, to live on in your memory. Terry is survived by his son, Terry and Grace Peres (granddaughter Gwendolyn) (Flagler Bch., FL); daughter, Tanya Peres Lemons and John Lemons (grandson Graeme, granddaughter Cora) (Tallahassee, FL), Julie (Peres) Hayes and son-in-law Peter-John Hayes (grandson Asa, granddaughter Avery, grandson Levi) (Knoxville, TN); brother, Lee Peres and Beverly Peres (Trevor and Jason), Dan and Karla Peres (Shari [deceased], Heather and Holly), Tom Bell and Gisela Bell (Ethan, Prestin, Natalie), Tony Bell; sister, Pamela (Hanley) Peres (Jeanetta Andrews and Jessica Anderson); and nieces, (Sherry’s [deceased] children) Lori Pirzer and Lisa Griffin and Rick Dutka. Terry is predeceased by his father, Leo Peres; mother, Helen (Miller) Peres; sister, Sherry (Peres) Waller; niece, Shari Peres; mother of his children and former spouse, Louise Peres [they had three children together, Terry, Tanya, and Julie, and were so proud of them]; and brother-in-law, Ed Hanley. In lieu of flowers, please help join us in honoring Terry’s kind heart and giving nature by making a charitable donation to your local domestic violence shelter or elder abuse support agency. Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home is making arrangements.