Ruben Mercado Perez

Ruben Mercado Perez

Ruben Mercado Perez, 63, passed away peacefully on Good Friday, April 3, 2026, in Beaufort, South Carolina, surrounded by the love of family.

Born on January 28, 1963, in Baltimore, Maryland, Ruben was the beloved son of Dr. Ruperto Perez and Dr. Bella Perez.

Ruben is lovingly survived by his mother, Bella Perez; his brothers Toti Perez of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Rodney Perez and his wife Gina Singleton and their sons, Gavin and Grayson of Asheville, North Carolina; his sisters Belinda Smith and her husband Chris and their sons, Jeremy Smith and his wife Gianna, and their daughter Allegra and Benjamin Smith, of Woodstock, Georgia, and Betsy Perez and her husband Will Weyer of Nederland, Colorado; his Aunt Alma Castillo and her husband Robert of Danville, Virginia; and his beloved dog, Millie.

A proud graduate of Marquette University, Ruben earned his degree in Biomedical Engineering in 1985 and built an accomplished career spanning finance, technology, digital strategy, nonprofit leadership, and research. His work included roles with Harvard Management Company, Thomson Reuters, Fitch Ratings, Scholastic, Girl Scouts of the USA, and most recently the Building Performance Association. He also founded INDXLAB, a software tool for the financial industry. His personal motto, shared in his LinkedIn bio, was: “I build things and solve problems.”

Ruben was known for his intelligence, humor, creativity, and extraordinary thoughtfulness. He delighted in surprising loved ones with spontaneous gifts—some lavish, some whimsically small—simply to create joy and lasting memories. He believed no moment was too small to matter and made dear friends everywhere he lived.

He loved the outdoors, the arts, music, poetry, and theater, and always held deep affection for his hometown of Danville, Virginia.

A Funeral Mass celebrating his life will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with reception. Burial to follow at Six Oaks Perpetual Care Cemetery. All are welcome to attend.