Miguel Angel Pereira, beloved husband, father and grandfather, was reunited with his parents and two of his brothers in eternal rest on May 24th, 2023.  He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Rita, two children, Natalio and Osvaldo, two daughters-in-law, Sepideh and Birte, and three grandchildren, Aliya, Hamza and Sophia.  Miguel lived in Mission Viejo for 44 years, and loved his home and the city where he raised his children. He was born in Buenos Aires on March 29th, 1944 to Antonia Menzotaro and Francisco de Assis Pereira, children of Italian and Spanish immigrants to Argentina. Miguel was one of six children and the youngest of four brothers, and is survived by his remaining brother, Francisco, and two sisters, Beatrice and Leticia.

From a young age, Miguel was guided by a strong moral sense and passionately fought for what was right.  He was devoted to defending the weak and the innocent against injustice. Helping his mother in the kitchen from a young age, Miguel quickly developed a passion for cooking and the connections we make through food. He met his wife Rita in 1968, and after receiving a job offer in the United States, he emigrated from Argentina to California.  After a short while in his new homeland, he called for Rita to join him, and they were wed in Pasadena in 1969.  Rita was 21 and Miguel 23, and they shared 54 years of marriage.

After the move, he continued his family business of upholstery and interior design and was recognized with several awards for the excellent quality of his work. He opened his first Italian restaurant - Michelangelo's - in El Monte in 1974. After the birth of his second child, Osvaldo, the family moved from Los Angeles to Orange County, where he opened his second restaurant of the same name in San Juan Capistrano. He was very successful as a restaurant owner and was renowned for his pizza, which was enjoyed by a devoted customer base that included former President Nixon.

After selling his restaurant, Miguel took up catering and his food was a staple for agricultural workers at the O'Neill Ranch. He eventually returned to the restaurant business, opening Pipo's in Cypress, which was awarded Restaurant of the Week by food critics at the Long Beach Press Telegram in 1994. After retirement, he continued cooking for his family and friends, hosting large Argentine barbecues at home and making homemade pasta and pizza.

He was incredibly proud of his sons – Natalio, a criminal defense attorney, and Osvaldo, who worked in finance after graduating from Harvard University. He adored his grandchildren, who had the privilege of being at his side during his final hours.  Miguel's love and strength of character remained intact until the very end of his life, where even from his deathbed he continued making people smile with his unfailing sense of humor.   He declared that he was the happiest man in the world to be surrounded by his family's love and had no fear of a death when it came for him.

The family will hold a memorial from 6-8pm on Friday, June 2nd at McCormick & Son Mortuaries at 25002 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills CA 92637, followed by a 9:30am mass the following morning at Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church at 21682 Lake Forest Drive, Lake Forest CA 92630. Immediately after the mass, graveside services will be held at 11am at El Toro Memorial Park, 25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest CA 92630.

To view the webcasting of the visitation, click HERE.