Friends, Colleagues Mourn Raul Perez

Flags flew at half-staff at Huntington Park City Hall on Monday as officials, family and friends mourned the death of Councilman Raul R. Perez, who is remembered for his perseverance and commitment to shaping the city.

Perez, 54, died Saturday night from gall bladder cancer at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Bellflower.

Perez followed transportation issues closely and was a board member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for two years. He was chairman of the agency’s Construction Committee.

Perez, the city’s first Latino mayor, was elected to City Council after a dramatic demographic shift in Huntington Park from a predominantly white population to a Latino majority by 1980. Perez ran unsuccessfully five times before winning a council seat in 1990. Perez, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, belonged to several organizations including the YMCA, Elks Lodge and Lions Club.

“Raul was very dedicated to serving the people,” said Mayor Tom Jackson. “He was everyone’s friend. It is a tremendous loss.”

Perez is survived by his wife, Rosa, and their sons, Raul and Ryan. Services are scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday at San Matthias Church, 3095 E. Florence Ave.