Arvid H. Perez

Arvid H. Perez, 88, of McKinney, Texas, died on October 26, 2023. He was born in Los Angeles, California on October 8, 1935, to Henry Joseph and Bertha (Wilson) Perez. Arvid had two younger sisters who preceded him in death, Patricia (1936-1972) and Katherine (1945-1948).

After graduating high school in 1953, Arvid entered UCLA where he joined ROTC and earned a bachelor’s degree. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Marines. Arvid received an honorable discharge with the rank of first lieutenant and returned to UCLA where he earned a PhD in History. His dissertation was entitled, The Disintegration of Values: A Social and Intellectual Study of the Austrian Philosopher-Novelist Hermann Broch, 1890-1930.  In 1967, Arvid accepted a teaching position in the history department at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he taught freshmen classes and seminars on intellectual history. He was an avid soccer fan and coached teams in the Vigo County Youth Soccer Association in the 1980s. Arvid retired from ISU in 2000 and later moved to South Carolina, where he enjoyed membership in a wine and dinner club and attended the McCormick Methodist Church.

On September 8, 1962, Arvid married Aida Iris Burgos in Los Angeles, California. They met while Arvid was in graduate school, working as the manager in the apartment building in which Aida lived. Before having children, they lived in Europe while Arvid completed research for his dissertation. They were married for 61 years and had three children: Erik, Marc (Kristina), and Desiree Gitt (Jason). Arvid is survived by his wife, children, four grandchildren (Michael Reese Perez [Thelma], Caleb Gitt, Alec Perez, and Keira Gitt), and one great-granddaughter (Riley).

Funeral services will take place on November 14^th @ 9:30 am at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

Services entrusted to Charles W. Smith & Sons Funeral Homes.