Caridad Perea, loving mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on August 25, 2021 surrounded by her loved ones. She was 83 years old at the time of her death. She was a fighter, battling numerous major health issues since 2015, but as all fighters must retire at one point, her kidneys and heart could fight no more. She died in the Roseville Kaiser ICU at exactly 1:30 PM on Aug. 25, 2021.

Born in the Philippines to Pedro Rodriguez and Gabriela Dolap, she was a fun, loving, wonderful, and religious woman. Her dad, Pedro Samala Rodriguez, sadly died before she was born, therefore she grew up longing for her father. When she was 14 years old, her mother, Gabriela, re-married to Apolonio Perea, Sr. Her mother gave birth to her 3 half-siblings, two boys and one girl. The eldest of the three is half-brother Apolonio D. Perea, Jr., middle child is half-brother Romeo D. Perea, and youngest half-sister Connie Gutierrez.

Caridad was very passionate about education and graduated from Philippine Women University in the Philippines, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics. She then pursued her professional career as a teacher in an elementary school in Naic, Cavite.

At the age of 26, she married her late husband in the Philippines, Conrad Victor Perea, on May 9, 1965. He was a graduate from the University of Santo Thomas in the Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. They went on to be happily married for 28 years, until he passed away on December 1, 1993 due to colon cancer. She never re-married after his death. Together they had three children, Carmelita Reitenbach married to George Reitenbach with 3 children Conrad Joseph, Casie Nicole and Curt Joseph, Carolina Berschens married to Mark Berschens with 3 children Ashley, Megan and Kayla and Carina Riordan married to Tom Riordan with two children Skyler and Thomas

With a vision to create a great future for their children, Caridad and Conrad made a great sacrifice and left their children to immigrate to the United States as professional immigrants. They arrived in San Francisco on July 4, 1970. Gabriela Dolap Rodriguez Perea, and Apolonio Perea, Sr. took care of Carmelita, Carolina, and Carina, their 3 grandchildren, together for 13 years while Caridad and Conrad were establishing a future for their family in the United States. On Dec. 25, 1983, they brought their three girls into the United States to reunite as a family.

Caridad always instilled to all her children and grandchildren to graduate from college since it was the reason why they were able to come to United States. Education for her was very important. All three of her daughters graduated from college in the United States: Carmelita with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from San Francisco State University, Carolina with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of California, Berkeley, and Carina with a Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University.

Through hard work and a business mindset, Caridad invested in real estate which led her to retire at the age of 55 years old. She was a hard worker, a tough and very successful business woman. She instilled the importance of love, honesty, compassion, morals, hard work and education. She stressed to her children and grandchildren that nothing is impossible - pursue your passion, dream big and aim high to succeed. She and Conrad worked so hard their entire lives and sacrificed a lot to provide her children with a bright future.

Before she passed away, she was able to witness two of her grandchildren graduate from college: Conrad Joseph Reitenbach with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems from California State University, Long Beach, and Casie Nicole Reitenbach with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from San Jose State University. Conrad Joseph and Casie Nicole both received the distinction award of “Cum Laude.” Caridad fought hard at the end to see the remaining 6 grandchildren to graduate from college, but her body couldn’t fight anymore. Since education was so important to her, she was so happy to know the rest of her grandchildren are all on track and encouraged to pursue their education all the way through college.

She is survived by her 3 daughters, 3 son in-laws, 8 grandchildren, 2 half-brothers and one half-sister. She will be dearly missed. May her soul rest in peace.

Services will be held on September 24, 2021 mass at 10:00 AM at Corpus Christi Church in San Francisco. She will be buried next to her husband Conrad V. Perea in Cypress Lawn mausoleum unit #8.

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