Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez

West Point, 2005

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Andra Kai Shaw on September 18, 2006:

I had the pleasure of meeting Emily during my cadet's (class of 2008) plebe year. It was Acceptance Day and I had not seen my cadet, Kesha J. Brown, in what seemed like an eternity. As I anxiously waited after the parade, I struck up a conversation with two upperclassmen who seemed to have show up by Divine Appointment. As they were most likely trying to get as far away from campus as possible, I was amazed when they stopped to speak with me and a couple of other parents, easing our minds about what was to come in regards to our cadets.It seemed that every other cadet in the barracks was already out, the young lady assured me that if she were out, my cadet was soon to follow. I was left waiting alone and the young lady, who introduced herself as Emily Perez, (stating her rank and position, which I regretably do not recall) stayed with me. I knew she held some position of great distinction, I recalled seeing her on the parade field, but she did not talk about that. Instead, she talked about the cadets under her charge and what an honor it was for her to serve them. She told me many other things that really confirmed for me that my daughter was now a part of something whose ties run very deep. Emily took my daughter's name and told me that she would look out for her. She did just as she promised, with my cadet constantly exclaiming to me just how hardcore Emily was in the day to day, but how great it was to get to know her through Gospel Choir. From track to the gospel choir to the special meetings with female cadets to tutoring to counseling to all of the other time that she gave to others, Emily served. Kesha and I are heartbroken over the loss of her mentor. But our comfort is this, Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez completed her mission in this life with honor and dignity, and in service to others as it seemed she had been called by Our Heavenly Father. She served hard and she served well and with distinction. The thoughts and prayers of my family are with the Perez family. I pray that the Comforter of our soul is as a guard about them. My deepest condolensces, Andra Kai Shaw

admin