Obituary of Peter Jerome Pereira

Peter Jerome Pereira passed away peacefully, Monday, October 17th, 2011 Peter Jerome Pereira was born October 19, 1926 in Wailua, Kauai. As a young boy, Peter worked the sugar cane fields after school and during the summer. Hawaiian music was a part of the culture on the plantations. At an early age Peter was exposed to Hawaiian music in the form of plantation bands, in which his father played the fiddle. Around the age of 13, Peter went to work with his father, a machinist, at Pearl Harbor. After witnessing the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Peter joined the military, serving in the Army and the Air Force. While stationed at Fort Ord, Peter discovered Santa Cruz which reminded him so much of Hawaii that he would later make it his home. Given the opportunity to distinguish an area to specialize in during his military service, Peter opted to receive training as an electrical engineer. This specialized training lead to a successful and rewarding 30 year career with Lockheed, where Peter was a respected colleague. Upon his honorable discharge from the Air Force, Peter went to work at Mare Island Shipyard in Vallejo, CA. He then moved to Sacramento, CA to work at AeroJet. Peter then accepted a position with Lockheed in Bonny Doon, CA, later transferring to Sunnyvale, CA until his retirement. During his retirement, Peter was able to dedicate his time to his love of Hawaiian music. He was an accomplished musician and producer releasing two CD's and playing gigs in central California for many years. Peter was a skilled gardener, avid bird watcher, and had a culinary skill for preparing Chinese and Hawaiian foods. Peter is survived by; his brother Joaquin, his children, Brian, Mark, Catherine (De Souza), Annabelle, Heather (Ian Crosby), and Amanda (Lance Brett); and many nieces and nephews. Peter was preceded in death by his parents, Joaquim and Minnie Pereira; his sister, Sister Christina Pereira; and his youngest son, Sean. A service will be held at Holy Cross Church, 126 High St., Santa Cruz, CA on Saturday, January 7th, 2pm. A private burial will follow at the Soquel Cemetery where Peter will be laid to rest.