Pedro Enriquez, 61, Woodstock, died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013 at Centegra Hospital –Woodstock.
He was born Feb. 14, 1952, in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, to Raul and Luz (Rodriguez) Enriquez.
He married Eluid Magana Feb. 14, 1987, in Chicago.
One of his favorite outings was his weekly Saturday breakfasts on the Square with his wife. He enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren who were his pride and joy. He was their biggest fan. He often spoke of his princess and his three sons with immense pride. He was an avid reader, was eager to share his knowledge and enjoyed a good debate. He was close to his parents and visited them daily for his morning coffee to share the daily news and always checked in on them before the end of the day. When he was with his brothers, it was as if they were in a world of their own and music was a favorite subject. He was his sisters’ protector and traveling companion.
He was employed as the regional director in the Illinois Migrant Council Office in Harvard, which encompassed 13 counties in Northern Illinois. He was actively involved in the League of United Latin American Citizens since 1992 and most recently was instrumental in founding the Council for the Elderly, for which he served as president, and the Illinois State Director for the Elderly. He belonged to numerous community nonprofit boards including the McHenry County Housing Authority CSBG Advisory Board and several Work Force Investment Board councils.
He was an avid music lover and a part-time musician. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Woodstock, and one of the founders of the South of the Border celebration in Woodstock. He won several awards at the local, state and national level for his work, most recently the State of Illinois Community Service Award from Illinois Association of Agencies and Community Organizations for Migrant Advocacy and the LULAC National Elderly of the Year Award at the national convention in Las Vegas.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mabel (Sergio) Esquivel; three sons, Eric (Kit), Julio and Raul Enriquez; eight grandchildren; his parents; two brothers, Robert (Jeannete) and Victor (Cindy) Enriquez; five sisters, Sylvia (Anastacio)Arceo, Maggie (Jose)Rivera, Anna Enriquez, Socorro (Silverio) Zacatzi and Palmira (Karl) Appelquist; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was Nov. 20 at Saunders & McFarlin Funeral Home, Harvard, and the funeral was Nov. 21 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Harvard. Interment was private.
