Many residents knew Jamaica Plain’s Beth Stacy Perez as a longtime and friendly postal worker for the neighborhood.
She loved Jamaica Plain and enjoyed supporting local businesses, particularly the restaurants. Contrary to the stereotype of dogs and mail carriers not getting along, she was often seen with one of her dogs through the years including a giant Corso named Rocco, and Diesal the Vizsla, when she wasn’t delivering mail.
This Saturday, there will be a celebration of her life on Aug. 24, from 1 to 3 pm at the Loring Greenough House. Friends and community members are invited to attend and share stories of Beth. After the celebration, loved ones and community members will walk to the South Street Mall (by the tennis/pickleball/basketball courts) for a bench dedication in her honor.
Below is her obituary:
Beth Stacy Perez, 58, of Jamaica Plain, passed away on November 18, 2023, after a long battle with colorectal cancer.
Beth was born on May 14, 1965, to Ronda and Richard Goldstein of Randolph, MA – also where she grew up with her sister Michelle and brother Steven.
In 1993 Beth began her career with the US Postal Service, where she later retired as a letter carrier in 2021. And for over 25 years, she worked in the very community that was her home and that she loved dearly – Jamaica Plain. Over the years she became a friendly face in the neighborhood, and a great friend to many.
Jamaica Plain is also where she met her husband, Jerry, and her family quickly grew to include her step-daughter, Stephanie.
Beth loved her morning coffee and a fine meal out – she was a true foodie. She very much enjoyed sharing a meal with family and friends. She especially took pleasure in dining at local eateries such as VeeVee’s, Evergreen Cafe, and Juicygreens. Something that was very important to her, was supporting small local businesses. She also loved to read, and often gifted books to those that were close to her and was known to leave little notes inside. On many days you could find her enjoying a puzzle with her husband, gardening, or taking her beloved dog Herman out for a walk. Beth loved being in nature and her phone was filled with pictures of flowers, trees, the sky, birds and so much more.
Beth is survived by her husband Jerry Perez, mother Ronda Goldstein, sister Michelle Utegaard, nieces Karissa and Makenna Utegaard, and step-daughter Stephanie Perez. She is preceded in death by her father Richard Goldstein and brother, Steven Goldstein.
Beth loved her life and truly wanted more time on this earth to spend with those that she loved, and she fought so very hard to be here for the time that she was. Her friends and family will miss her words of wisdom and thoughtful advice, however she left us with one last message, “memento vivere” – remember to live. And, in your days moving forward, we hope that you remind yourself of this short, but profound saying.
A public celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at the Loring Greenough House from 1pm-3pm. We encourage anyone with fond memories or stories of Beth, to attend and share with her family and friends. At the end, we will gather and walk together to leave flowers (or whatever special memento you’d like), at the bench that has been dedicated to her, in front of the tennis courts on South Street.
