Emilio Jose Cerice

Last night, our Pop, Emilio Jose Cerice, passed away. He was known as Papi to his 3 grandkids. Pop had struggled with COPD for years and more recently mild dementia. He was the last member of his generation in our family that fled communist Cuba. He originally fought along Fidel Castro to overtake the previous dictator of Cuba. Then later after Castro made his communist alliance known, Pop fought with the underground militia against Castro as part of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, soon afterward coming to the US and starting over from scratch. He eventually became an electrical engineer specializing in pulp & paper mills whose career with Rust, BE&K, and Brown & Root, took him around the globe. Pop had many hobbies throughout the years and my fondness of animals came from him. He raised tropical fish, rabbits, quail and parrots, not all at the same time. With his hobbies, Pop did not know the word “moderation”😀 and lived big. He eventually met the love of his life Trisha Cerice who shared in these interests and were together for decades. Pop had a deep gruff voice with a thick Cuban accent sprinkled with some Texas drawl. He was hard of hearing and spoke loudly. Anyone who knew him, had a story about him worth telling. He & I were reminiscing Thursday to which he acknowledged “I have not had a boring life”. Indeed not Pop. The world feels a little quieter without him in it today. He is survived by his wife, Trisha; sons, Gus Cerise and E. (Kristi) Cerise; grandchildren, Diana Cerise, Nathan Cerise and Andrew Cerise; Goddaughter, Raquel Chappelle. In lieu of flowers donations made to The Georgia Aquarium.