Florea Peret, 90, of Hot Springs, died Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012.

He was a well-respected pastor and leader in the Romanian Pentecostal Community in Romania for more than 50 years and then following his arrival in 1988, in Detroit, for four years and then in 1992, when he arrived in Hot Springs, he established the First Romanian Pentecostal Church.

Florea was the oldest son of the late Dumitru and Elisabeta Peret, Romanian citizens who settled in Sabolciu Village, County of Bihor, Romania, in the early 1900s. At the age of 18, he was enlisted in the Hungarian Army. Knowing that he left at home his mother, with his sick father and four younger siblings, he tried to escape from the Second World War, and was captured by the Russian Army and held as a prisoner of war. In 1945, coming back from the war field, he married Maria Broinas with whom they have eight children.

He was active in the Romanian community in his home country of Romania, then in Detroit, and later Hot Springs. In his far-reaching generosity, he assisted in the building of Romanian churches in Romania, Hungary, Detroit and Hot Springs. His son, Florian Peretz said, “My father was an exceedingly generous man, and believed in spreading the Gospel to others and sharing his home with others, wherever he lived. Dad never forgot his roots, but he was also willing to take risks. He believed in possibilities, and worked hard to make them become realities, for himself and for many others. He was a tireless worker, and a man respected for his unwavering integrity. He was an entrepreneurial person and he spread that desire, not only to his children but to many he had met along the road, but he also adhered strongly to traditional values throughout his life. His word was his bond, and if he made a commitment, he kept it.”

Florea Peret is survived by his wife Maria; eight children, son, Viorel Peret and family (his wife Leonica, eight children; Daniela, with spouse and four children; Florin, with spouse and one child; Gabriel, with spouse and four children; Delia, with spouse and two children; Daniel Nick, with spouse and three children; Liviu, with spouse and two children; Violeta, with spouse and one child; and David); Florian Peretz and family (wife Marioara, and their four children, Annemarie F. with spouse and three children, Marius F. with spouse and three children, Georgiana F. with spouse and a child, and Elizabeth H.); Radu Peret and family (wife Maria, and their six children; Daniel and his spouse with one child, Carmen and three daughters, Ioana with spouse with one child, Liana, Tabita and Jonathan); Nicolae Peret and family (wife Maria, and their three children; Lavinia and his spouse with one child, Claudiu with spouse and one child, and Nicoleta); Cornelia Sasca and family (husband George, and their two children; George and Marta); Cornel Peret and family (wife Ana L. and his six children; Beniamin, Diana and her spouse with three children, Eduard, Alex, Juliana and Adriana); Mariana L. Ionoi Peret and family ( husband Valeriu, and their three children; Leontin V., Alexandra M., and Flavia M.); Livia L. Vlad Peret and family (husband Gabriel, and their seven children; Gabriela and her spouse with two children, Octavian, Abel, Eugen, Remus, Simeon and Miriam). In addition he is survived by his brother, Nicolae Peret; his sister, Irina Secara and brother Dumitru Peret.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. today in the Batania Romanian Apostolic Pentecostal Church, 446 Music Mountain Road, with the Rev. George Sasca and the Rev. Florian Peretz officiating.

Visitation was held 6-8 p.m. Monday at the church.

Interment will be in the Memorial Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Hot Springs.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons.

Guest registry is at http://www.davis-smith.com.



Published: 09/11/2012