SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Arthur Perez passed away on November 16, 2019. The 96-year-old resident of Spanish Fort, Alabama, was born June 3, 1923, in New Orleans. Son of the late Adrianna Vallada de Garcia and Antonio (AJ or Tony) Perez, Arthur Perez married Zoanne Hazen, a Detroit native, on April 12, 1950. They were married for 67 years.

He graduated from St. Stanislaus High School in St. Louis in 1942 and briefly attended Tulane University before entering the navy to become a TBM Avenger carrier pilot during the WWII effort. At the end of WWII, he moved to Michigan, where he was employed by Brunswick-Balke-Collender in the refrigeration division in Muskegon.

Arthur soon moved to Niles, Michigan, to take up what would be a lifetime of work with Tyler Refrigeration. He worked his way up from service department mechanic to vice president of Engineering, and finally to executive vice president with ownership. During his 30 plus years with Tyler, Arthur Perez was heavily involved in research and development and produced 50 patents. For most of his corporate life he would fly Tyler’s corporate aircraft halfway around the world to the company’s various manufacturing facilities.

After retiring, he began several new careers as a developer of the first Planned Urban Development (PUD) in Michigan, and as an international consultant in refrigeration for clients such as Stanley Knight and Walmart. Throughout his life he dedicated his time and talents to service. Arthur was a swim coach, diving coach, ski instructor, pilot, father, grandfather, and mentor. He is preceded in death by his wife, Zoanne Perez; brother, Louis E. Perez of New Orleans and Mandeville, Louisiana; and survived by his sister, Carmen Lombardino (Robert) of Picayune, Mississippi; son, Edward S. Perez (Delia Porche- Perez) of New Orleans; daughter, Marta Coward-Glunt (Tom) of Gulf Shores, Alabama; and five grandchildren, Ryan S. Coward (Kate Wilson) of Denver; Brycen N. Coward (Mari Gottlieb) of Boulder, Colorado; Jennifer M. McSpadden (Garrett) of Reno, Nevada; Peyton and Preston Perez of New Orleans; and four great-grandchildren.

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