Roberto Sofonias Perez

Roberto Sofonias Perez born on August 22, 1935 in Santa Fe Argentina. He came to the United States by bicycle, leaving Argentina on February 7, 1958 and arriving in New York on October 10, 1959. He has made Grants Pass his home town since 1968 where he met and married his wife Shella. They had one daughter, Elena. They were divorced in 1984 but remained close friends until her passing in 1997.

Roberto was a furniture maker by trade in Argentina but once in the United States he was in many lines of work before becoming disabled in 1977. He co-owned and worked in a New York Restaurant and in Oregon he was a tree planting foreman, house painter, tree pruner, and lay pastor.

Roberto was a member of the Grants Pass Seventh Day Adventist church since 1977 and has held a position as elder for some years, led bible study, and provided singing ministry to many nursing homes over the years. He led the Spanish church at the Cottage Grove Seventh Day Adventist church as a lay pastor and has taken several missionary trips to Guatemala and Argentina.

Roberto loved people and made many friends wherever he went. He loved to garden, sing, dance the tango, and minister God’s word to people.

He is survived by daughter, Elena Brabb, of Eugene, Oregon as well as the many friends he loved so dearly and considered to be family.

A memorial service will be held for Roberto on April 18th at 3pm at the Grants Pass Seventh Day Adventist Church located at 1360 NE 9th Street, Grants Pass, OR. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Please make any donations in Roberto’s memory to Lovejoy Hospice, 939 SE 8th Street, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526.