Porfirio "Perry" Diaz Jr

On April 4, 2024, Perry Diaz, beloved and cherished husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 79 in the comfort of his home in Sacramento, CA. He was surrounded by family and love.

Perry Diaz was born Porfirio Maximo Carpio Diaz, Jr., to Porfirio Clemente Diaz, Sr., and Maxima Carpio Diaz, on September 28, 1944, in Manila, Philippines, during World War II. His family soon left Manila for the province of Nueva Ecija and then to Paoay, Ilocos Norte, where they made their home. 

Perry’s father, a municipal judge, passed away from pneumonia when Perry was just 2 years old. In his later life, Perry talked about having just one memory of his dad—a beautiful, vivid recollection of holding his hand as they walked about town. 

Just five weeks before his father’s death, Perry’s mother, Mimay, gave birth to Perry’s younger brother, Augustus (Titus). In addition to being an unexpectedly widowed mother at just 30, Mimay was also a teacher, a principal, and a resilient woman dedicated and determined to provide a loving life and many opportunities for her sons.

Perry spent his life surrounded by strong, smart women, starting with his core family—which now consisted of his Mom, Titus, Lola Juanita, Tita Lourdes, and Tita Merle. The family eventually settled in Quezon City, where Perry’s love of history began in elementary school. He also learned to speak Illocano, Tagalog, and English. He joined the Cub Scouts—moving up the ranks and eventually earning his Eagle Scout status. The experience introduced him to team-building and leadership, and some of his favorite childhood memories include annual camping trips with the troop in Cubao, where he practiced and excelled in survival lessons.

In 1955, Perry’s Lolo Constancio brought him to an event at Malacanang Palace after Ramon Magsaysay was elected president. Meeting the president and standing proudly by his paternal grandfather was a pivotal moment in young Perry’s life. The experience sparked his interest in government and cemented his strong Filipino pride and identity.

Perry graduated from San Sebastian High School and earned an industrial engineering degree from Adamson University. In the mid-1960s, he started his career as a programmer analyst at NCR Corp, a computer software company in Makati.

In 1968, Perry met and wooed Dolores (Babes) at a Christmas Eve event. This began their courtship, during which Dolores’ cousins attended all of their initial dates and her older brother interrogated Perry. Perry was smitten with Dolores’ beauty and also her intelligence. Their companionship was happy and loving, and Perry asked Dolores to marry him and move to the United States to start their new life together.

Perry and Dolores got married in a civil ceremony in Reno, NV, on June 13, 1970,  and their Catholic ceremony took place on June 20 in San Francisco, CA. They made their home in San Francisco, where Perry’s Mom Mimay had immigrated in 1968.

Their first child, Lara, was born, and the young family moved to Sacramento, CA, and welcomed their second child, Andrea. There, Perry began his career as a programmer analyst with the State of California, and Dolores started her longtime tenure with Pacific Bell. Perry’s love of design and architecture and belief in the American Dream led him and Dolores to retire early from their jobs and start their own business, Filcrest Construction. Filcrest specialized in building residential custom homes, apartment building remodels, and commercial building construction. They were also involved in the Mather Field Sports Complex baseball fields and playground construction, where their youngest grandson now plays. Perry also designed and built their own custom homes.

Perry was appointed by California Governor George Deukmejian as deputy director of the Department of Rehabilitation. President George H.W. Bush appointed him to the Federal Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board in 1995. At this time, the board was thrust into instilling ADA regulations, which led to more access for Americans with disabilities. Perry and Dolores then went on to open the Angelic Eldercare in Elk Grove.

Perry and Dolores were dedicated members of the local Filipino-American community. They helped grow and support the community for many years through their involvement with the Filipino Community of Sacramento and Vicinity, Lions Clubs, and the Filipiniana Dance Troupe. They also founded Eskwela Natin—a non-profit school with a mission to educate youth about the unique, rich, and diverse Filipino culture. Perry served as president of these groups and at the American River Toastmasters Club. Both Perry and Dolores were co-presidents of the St. Ignatius Parents Club. His leadership, commitment, and strong sense of community have influenced his children and grandchildren alike.

Perry was an intelligent orator and skilled writer. His understanding of and insight into all things political and historical led to many thought-provoking discussions with both friends and foes. Perry began publishing his articles and editorials covering Filipino and Filipino-American news through various mediums. His first printed newsletter, “Balita,” evolved into the website Global Balita and email newsletter “Perryscope.” Both had incredible followings and sparked many more provocative discussions. He welcomed the engagement and was always happy to participate in a good debate. 

In 2022, he combined his wide knowledge of international government and operations with his talent for storytelling to write and publish a novel, Turmoil in Paradise.