Jose "Pepe" Hernandez

Jose Nieves “Pepe” Hernandez was born on November 14, 1971, in Phoenix, Arizona.  Pepe attended South Mountain High School in Phoenix.  He served an LDS mission to Costa Rica for two years.  Pepe received a civil engineering degree from Arizona State University and was a lifelong Sun Devils’ fan.  He married Nikki Merrill in the Mesa, Arizona temple.  He enlisted with the Army when he graduated from ASU and was stationed in Germany. 

In January 2003 he was deployed for a year to Iraq.  Upon discharge from the Army in 2005, Pepe and his family moved to Nikki’s home state of New Mexico.  He worked as a civil engineer for a while and then worked for 11 years at the United States Post Office.  He had recently started a side business as a DJ.  Pepe died tragically on April 22, 2019.

He is survived by his wife Nikki; sons, Isaac and Jaelan; daughters, Monique and Krisanne; mother, Elisa Zamora Hernandez; brothers, John, Martin and wife Miguelina (Wini) their children Martin and Daisy, brother, Laman and wife Yvonne Hernandez and children Laman, Aryanna, Bryanna, Lorissa, and Fabian; sister, Anabel Hernandez Talbo and children Tatiana, Jeremy, and Mariah; sister, Inez Hernandez and daughter Irene; grandnephew, Tristan Talbo; grandniece, Akila Talbo; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Pepe was preceded in death by an infant sister, Elisa Jean Hernandez; father, Amador Roque Hernandez; brother-in-law Junior Talbo.  Pepe will be remembered for being a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a loving husband and father, a patriot, and a friend to many.