Steven John Perez, Colonel, USAF, Retired

            Dr. Steven John Perez, Internal Medicine, Colonel, USAF (Retired), died on May 7, 2020, from Covid-19. Steve was born in London, England on March 12, 1952 to parents Ernie and Stella Perez. An Air Force brat, he moved from place to place until he graduated from Sacramento State University in 1974, and USC School of Medicine in 1978, and completed his residency in Phoenix, Arizona in 1981. From there, he served as a Flight Surgeon and Medical Director in the Air Force Medical Service Corps in Japan and Spain until he became a military physician to Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush from 1986-1990. Realizing he couldn’t do better than being the President's doctor in the USAF, he went into private practice in San Antonio, Texas (which he always called God’s country). He moved back to Virginia and opened the Medical Center of Annandale, which he ran from 1995 until his untimely death from Covid-19. He was also an associate professor of medicine at UVA and mentored medical students from UVA, Georgetown, and GWU for more than a decade. Never forgetting a promise he made to God, he never refused medical aid to the poor who came to his office, even accepting yams as payment on occasion.

He is survived by his wife, Margie, his sons Ted (wife Christine), Benny (wife Michelle), Jonny (wife Carrie), his stepson Ian, his siblings Lynn, Mike, and Phil, his previous wife Marsha, and his father Ernie. He has 3 grandchildren (Mary Ashley, Mark, and Elizabeth) whose photos and stories he would share with prospective friends in the checkout line, and 2 more grandsons on the way. He was often found reading to, cheering for, or bragging about his grandchildren. He could make anyone laugh, knew just what to say, and showed profound love for his friends and family. Every person he met felt like they were the reason he was there. No matter the challenge, he made you feel like you could do it. Steve was a devoted fan of USC Trojan football, Dallas Cowboys, and his beloved Nationals, whom he got to see win the World Series.  He joins his mother and brother, Paul, in Heaven.

Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home will be hosting a Vehicle Memorial Service that will be open to the public, it will be held at the Alexandria Scottish Rite Temple, 1430 W Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22302, right next to Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home on May 22nd. Due to the Coronavirus, a private interment has been arranged. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to either the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America at https://alz.org/get-involved-now/donate or Catholic Mission Trips, Inc. at catholicmissiontrips.net/support/  

Find a quiet scenic overlook and enjoy a Guinness while listening to Hawaiian slack key guitar music as a tribute to him.

Please send memories to DrPerezMemories@gmail.com. 

Vehicle Memorial Details:

***Please enter the driveway of the Scottish Rite Temple, 1430 W Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22302, located next to Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home. There will be attendants on the lot to direct guests as they enter and continue behind the building to the portico on the opposite side. Please remain in your vehicles at all time.  You will be able to greet the family from the comfort of your vehicle while maintaining safe social distancing***

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Steven John Perez, Colonel, USAF, Retired, please visit our Tree Store.