In 1950, Pérez was employed at the
Kaiser Aluminum factory in
Chalmette,
Louisiana which he would work at for twenty-five years. After his service in World War II, Pérez earned his
GRE. After
Hurricane Betsy in 1965, Pérez moved to the community of
Poydras which was thought to be safe from future storms. In 1976, Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society of St. Bernard was organized at
Delacroix Island, Louisiana. Pérez was greatly involved with the promotion of Isleño culture, and he visited the
Canary Islands multiple times. During the 1980s and 1990s, Pérez opened his home to various
linguists,
sociologists and
cultural anthropologists interested in documenting the language, customs, and culture of the Isleños. Notably, Pérez was an informant to
Samuel Armistead and
Manuel Alvar in their individual investigations. Over the years, Pérez would become president of Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society and later the defunct Canary Islands Descendants Association. In 2001, Pérez performed for
King Juan Carlos I and
Queen Sofía of Spain. On June 7, 2005, Pérez's wife died. Shortly after,
Hurricane Katrina devastated the region and completely destroyed Pérez's home. He lost irreplaceable recordings of his father's songs, as well as most of his
woodworking tools. Pérez remained active until the end of his life. He sang at a public concert just three weeks before his death and carved one of his ducks the day he died. He suffered a
heart attack at his home, and he died later that day at
Tulane Medical Center on January 8, 2008. His funeral was held on January 11, at St. Bernard Catholic Church and he was buried in St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery. == Legacy ==