‘We will miss him dearly’: Outpouring of support shown in St. Joseph following loss of Adrián Pérez
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A hard worker, jokester, kind hearted, compassionate, generous and a dear friend.
Those are just a few of the words used to describe what the late Adrián Pérez meant to so many across St. Joseph and Northwest Missouri, two communities that have shown an outpouring of support this week following Perez's sudden passing on Sunday, Dec. 28.
Born on Dec. 29, 1979, in Querétaro, Mexico, Pérez made St. Joseph his second home for more than 25 years, catering food for numerous events and businesses, building friendships and becoming a distinguished leader along the way.
His popular food business, Adrián's Tacos, allowed him to share the taste of authentic Mexican cuisine across Northwest Missouri and make invaluable friendships with many people, especially local businesses like River Bluff Brewing and Smooth Endings Fine Wine, Spirits and Cigars.
Smooth Endings general manager Rebeca DiGerlamo met Pérez when he first started selling food for customers on their outside patio. As DiGerlamo got to know Pérez more, they exchanged ideas on how to grow their respective businesses, which eventually blossomed into successful joint events.
"Adrián was a business man, and was always trying to elevate his business. He helped me elevate mine, and our bond grew through sharing ideas," DiGerlamo said. "From that point, we both realized how important business was to each other. That's when I think our friendship went to the next level."
Throughout his time in St. Joseph, Pérez grew to become like family to countless people. Anabel Garcia, an employee at Smooth Endings and former employee at Adrian's Tacos, cherished his unwavering kindness and generosity from the first time they met.
"When I got here (Smooth Endings), I met Adrián through my sister. I remember him being such a nice person, a wonderful person," Garcia said. "A wonderful friend to everybody. He was always smiling."
Since Perez's passing, numerous businesses, residents and organizations have expressed their condolences to his family and friends on social media, each providing a unique perspective of the caring and compassionate person he was.
"Our community has tragically lost an excellent friend. We've had the pleasure of working with Adrian since we were brand new, and it will never be the same without him here with us on Tuesdays. We will miss him dearly," River Bluff Brewing posted through Facebook in a statement on Dec. 29, 2025.
A loving husband and father with two sons, Perez was a proud family man and an active member of Latinos Connect and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
As of Thursday, Jan. 1, just over $5,000 has been raised on Gofundme to help support Perez's family and legacy, with more than 80 people contributing.
"Our hearts go out to the family of Adrian Perez, and we offer our love and prayers, hoping they find comfort and peace during this difficult time," St Joseph MO Local Eats said in Facebook statement on Monday.
A public Celebration of Life and Rosary in honor of Pérez will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2 at St. Patrick Catholic Church located at 1723 S. 12th St., followed by a memorial mass at 6:30 p.m.
