Jose Ignacio Morales, affectionately known as Pepe’, loving son, husband, father and Popi, passed awayon September 6, 2024 in Coconut Creek, Florida. The only child of Jose and Reina Morales, Pepe’ was born on 2/24/1950 in Havana, Cuba.
As a result of Fidel Castro’s actions and political unrest, there was a mass emigration of middle-class Cubans. Eleven-year-old Pepe’ arrived on a Peter Pan flight in 1961, without his parents. He was placed in an orphanage until his parents arrived three months later. The Morales family was reunited and settled in Cherry, Hill, New Jersey. They possessed not much more than the clothes on their backs and the promise of a better life in the United States. They arrived with memories of Cuban food, music and style and vowed to follow their dreams and preserve their culture.
Pepe’ fell in love with a Jersey girl, Catherine DeMarco and they married on November 14, 1970. Although they married right out of high school, their love carried them through five decades of life together. Pepe’ loved to dance to Cuban music with his wife Catherine, vacation with family and friends and spoil his grandchildren and puppies. He loved his life in Florida with Catherine, laying in the sun, the excitement of movies, anything chocolate, especially ice-cream, and enjoying pancakes in the morning with a newspaper in hand. He was the life of the party, and got increasingly handsome with each birthday. As an only child, Pepe’ appreciated Catherine’s large family, holidays gatherings and making everyone laugh.
He also loved the Insurance Agency that he, daughter Reina, and wife Catherine started together, which they built and ran for more than twenty years.
Later in life, Pickleball became Pepe's favorite sport and his zest for the game inspired his vanity license plate, PCKLPEP. He was out to win and quickly became a pickleball legend and enjoyed teaching the game to others.
Pepe’ was a proud and faithful dad to three children, Reina Morales (Peck), Nicole Morales (Mitcheli) and James Morales. Pepe’ was preceded in death by his daughter Reina, proud mom of granddaughter Raquel Peck. Pepe’ is survived by his wife Catherine, his daughter Nicole and husband Steve, their children Victoria, Cassie and Stevie, son James, his wife Natalia, and their children Juliana, Christian and Aiden.
Arrangements will be held at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery on Friday, September 27 th at 11 am 1500 South State Road 7, North Lauderdale, Florida.
In lieu of Flowers please donate to Broward County Humane Society. He loved His animals.
Friday, September 27, 2024
11:00am - 12:00 pm (Eastern time)
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery
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