Roll Call Tribute

Leopoldo Fernando "Leo" Perez 
May 19, 1941 - August 9, 2023 

Leopoldo (Leo) Fernando Perez, 82, of Cypress, Texas, passed away peacefully August 9, 2023, at home with his beloved wife Linda (nee Fox) after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Leopoldo was born on May 19th, 1941 in Valencia, Spain, to Baltasar and Ines Perez. After arriving in the United States from Venezuela in 1959, speaking only Spanish, Leopoldo studied Aerospace Engineering earning both bachelor’s '63 and master’s '65 degrees from Texas A&M University. He was able to accomplish this by spending many hours with an English/Spanish dictionary translating and teaching himself English along with his engineering course work.

Leo met his wife Linda at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, when his sister set him up on a blind date. Linda told her roommate upon returning from their first date that she had met the man she was going to marry! Leo and Linda married on June 6, 1964.

Leo began his Aerospace career at Boeing in Renton, Washington, where he was part of the team that developed the winglet design on the 737. After a brief time with Boeing in Houston, Leo would spend the next 30 years working for NASA. He was instrumental in the wind tunnel experiments used to design the US Space Shuttle during the mid to late 70s. He was present in Mission Control for the inaugural flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in April of 1981.

During retirement, Leopoldo and Linda enjoyed volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul as well as month-long cruises to ports all over the world; notably crossing the Panama Canal four times.

Leo was preceded in death by his father, Baltasar, his mother, Ines, and his sister, Magdelena.

Leopoldo leaves behind his loving wife of 59 years, Linda (nee Fox); three children, Balthazar (Diane) Perez of Cypress, TX, Cid (De) Perez of Cypress, TX, and Maria Kitson of Belton, TX; four grandchildren, Myria Perez of Washington, D.C., Leopoldo Perez of Cypress, Texas, Anna Kitson of Belton, Texas, and David Kitson of Belton, TX.

Friends are invited to visit with the family between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16, at Klein Funeral Home - CyFair Northwest, 9719 Wortham Boulevard, Houston, TX 77065. A vigil and rosary will be held the same evening beginning at 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 17, at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, 11507 Huffmeister Road, Houston, TX 77065.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the American Cancer Society or any charity of your choice.