Eduardo Perez Acosta
Obituary

Eduardo Perez, also known to family as Dad, Tio, Padrino, Abuelo, and Eduardito,

and known to friends as Don Eduardo, Edward, Eddie, Ed, Doctór, and Jefe, passed away peacefully on August 29th, 2025, with his beloved wife of fifty-eight years by his side.

He had many names and wore many hats.

Edward was born in 1937 in a small town on the island of Cuba. There, he grew to love classic cars, music, dancing, and playing chess. In April 1962, at the age of twenty-four, he became one of the thousands of political prisoners of Castro’s revolution. After his release, he emigrated to Miami, Florida, to live and learn English with cousins who were living in the States. He made his way cross-country to Gardena, California, where a cousin got him his first job as a car washer. It was in California where Eduardo met his future wife, Amelia, whose family had also left Cuba after the revolution. They were married nine months later and quickly started a family, with a son, a daughter, and a house full of pets.

Eduardo made a living in the auto trade and, with time, moved up to owning car lots around Orange County. He eventually became a DMV instructor to license auto resellers. He made many friends over the decades with his pepper moustache, charming accent, and snappy signature Fedora perched over his expressive eyes. He could talk to anyone in the room, was quick to offer advice on any subject, and always enjoyed a good laugh.

The work week was spent at car auctions or on the car lot, but weekends were for large gatherings of family and friends, full of food, laughter, the clickety-clack of domino tiles, or following a Yankees baseball game. Time with family was often extended to entire other families, who were made to feel as close as any family member under his own roof. The last adopted family were his in-laws, whom he embraced with love, open arms, and a friendly glass of wine. Don Eduardo loved to make toasts at these gatherings to make sure everyone knew they were welcome and loved. Salud.

Later in life, Eddie became a full-fledged wine aficionado. He enjoyed years of poker games with close friends or at the casinos. He could fix most anything that needed fixing around the house and acted as a “supervisor” to DIY projects at most close family homes. There’s a project he helped plan or pull off in every corner of many homes scattered throughout Orange County.

Ed was eighty-seven years old and left with no regrets.