Rufus Anthony Pereira
December 22, 1948 ~ August 23, 2026
Resided in:
Arden, NC
Asheville Butterfly TrailArden- Rufus Anthony Pereira, 77, of Arden, passed away on Sunday, August 23, 2026 at Mission Hospital.
He was a son of the late Andrew Stephen Pereira and Gertrude Margaret Pereira.
Born in a small mountain town in Sri Lanka, Rufus lived a remarkable life that took him across Europe and Australia before eventually finding his way to Asheville. Every place he called home, he built strong communities among his co-workers, employees, and friends, many of whom would go on to become much more like family, and whom he loved dearly.
Family shaped every chapter of Rufus’s life. One of seven extremely close brothers and sisters, he was also Uncle to more than seventeen nieces and nephews, with whom he shared a lifelong bond.
Central to Rufus’s life was his passion for his trade as a Hotelier. He took immense pride in his work, but found even greater fulfillment in the people around him. Rufus was a natural mentor, generous with his knowledge and time, and deeply committed to helping countless employees learn, grow and realize their potential.
He later built a family of his own with his first wife, Sue, who remained a lifelong friend and constant presence in his life until his very last day. Together they had two sons, Andrew and Josh, who became the center of so much of Rufus’s happiness. He loved them wholeheartedly and took great pride in the men they became. He was also a much-loved grandfather to Chloe and Oscar, who brought him a special kind of joy in his role as Pappa Ru.
Later in life, Rufus found the love of his life in Vinitha. Their relationship was filled with warmth, laughter and companionship, and Vinitha remained by his side as they shared the joys and challenges of life together.
Rufus was a larger-than-life character who loved to host and be the life of the party. He brought energy, warmth and laughter to every gathering, and his sons inherited that same spirit. They will remember not only the father who loved them unconditionally, but the man who taught them how to truly enjoy life, and live it to the fullest. He showed them that a life well lived is one filled with good people, great stories and plenty of reasons to celebrate. For that, they will be grateful most of all.
Rufus is survived by his loving wife, Vinitha “Vini” Lalvani: two sons, Andrew Pereira of London, UK and Joshua Pereira of Australia; two grandchildren, Chole and Oscar Pereira; three sisters, Maureen Wijeratne of Sri Lanka, Felicia Swan of Australia and Christobel Lawton of Australia; two brothers, Damian Pereira of Australia and Dion Pereira of Australia as well as several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 3:00-4:00 PM on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian with a Rosary Service starting at 4:00 PM. A reception will be held at the funeral home following the service.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Rufus’ memory to the Asheville Humane Society.
A Celebration of Life Service and burial of ashes will be held December 18, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia.
Services
Rosary: August 29, 2026 4:00 pm
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 687-3530
http://grocefuneralhome.com
Visitation: August 29, 2026 3:00 pm - August 30, 2026 4:00 pm
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 687-3530
http://grocefuneralhome.com
May the soul of Mr Rufus Pereira Rest In Eternal Peace ✝️🙏❤️
My heartfelt condolences to Vini and his loved ones.
Dear Vini Our heart felt condolences to you and the whole family .
Rufus was a gentleman to the core and will be missed by us. May his soul rip and may his memory be a blessing 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Heartfelt condolences Vini to you and the rest of the family. Sending you hugs and lots of love ❤️❤️
I know I only met Rufus once but he was a beautiful soul. You and your family are in our thoughts. I Love you. May he rest in peace and might you find peace on earth.
Our deepest condolences to Vini and bereaved family members. Be rest assured He will always be around you, smiling and sending showers of love forever.
Mounesh and Sangeeta
Melbourne Australia
Dear Vinitha,
We just learned passing of Rufus. Our heart is broken over your loss and we wanted to extend sincerest condolences.
We are thinking of you.
Love.
Maureen and Jacco
My heart hurts deeply as I write this….
Rufus was truly one of my most favored and cherished cousins. He had a rare, radiant spirit—endlessly inspiring, deeply loving, and genuinely caring to everyone around him. Though distance kept us physically far, his warmth always reached across the miles.
To Andrew and Josh—though we have not yet had the privilege of meeting, I want you to know how deeply proud your father was of his family, and how much of his gentle, inspiring spirit lives on through both of you.
I pray that God’s comfort and grace wrap tightly around all three of you. May you find peace in the beautiful memories you shared, and solace in knowing that his legacy of love will never fade.
With all my love, thoughts, and prayers,
Gladwin & Sheraun,
Magner, Darian, Liza and Selina
A true gentleman.
A wonderful uncle.
Thank you for the laughter, the stories, the friendship, the wonderful meals, and most of all, the love you gave so freely.
You lived a remarkable life, touched countless hearts, and left us with memories that will last forever.
Rest in peace, Rufus uncle.
You will be loved, remembered and missed always. ❤️
Lynn
Even though thousands of kilometers separated us in our everyday lives, I want you to know that whenever we were together, I always felt loved, welcomed, and at home.
Your life was truly remarkable, and I will always remember you as someone who cared deeply for the people he loved. You stood up for what you believed was right, fought for the right causes, and were a role model to those around you. You were always there to help those who needed you, and I am truly grateful for everything you gave to the people in your life.
Thank you for the love, the memories, and the moments we shared. I will carry them with me forever.
Please say hi to Dad for me. I like to think that somehow, somewhere, you are together again and this gives me inner peace.
I also thank Vini. I know a true Pereira can be a lot to handle but your love and care has been endlessly till the last second. I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart.
Uncle Rufus, you will always be remembered, deeply missed, and forever loved.
I am so grateful I have so many happy, precious memories with you and i will treasure this forever.
You were a very Special Uncle to me and will always hold a very special place in my heart.
I will always remember you as my caring, loving and witty Uncle.
May you rest in peace.
Love Always,
Sammy xx
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a wonderful treasure to always hold in your heart.
I will miss you my dear brother forever & always . May you rest in eternal peace.
Love you , Maureen
Love,
Megan &Charlie.
Dear Vinitha and Family,
My deepest condolances on the great loss of great person. After I met Rufus in Melbourne, he offered me a job on the spot. He was not just my GM but great Mentor. I never forget his support to start my life. My Rufus sole rest in peace.
Kind Regards,
Bandara Thennakoon
Our deepest condolences to you and the family, may Rufus soul Rest In Eternal Peace
Warren and Narmada 🤍
I’m so sorry for your loss. Although I never had the chance to meet Rufus Uncle personally, I had seen the kindness he showed and the way he helped my brother. That alone showed me what a kind and caring soul he was.
It is truly sad that I never got the chance to meet him before he passed away. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
May Rufus Uncle rest in peace. May his kindness, love, and the beautiful memories he left behind bring you comfort and strength. 🕊️🤍
Dearest Vinita,
Rufus was such a kind and loving
host when I have visited you both
to see your Mom.
The love from his heart to serve
was great. I can understand that
he was a great mentor when he
spent time with our boys and how
quickly in a short span of time they
became friends.
They Loved his outlook at life and
enjoyed get togethers and party.
He could relate to them so well as
he had raised his own two boys
We are truly sad for his loss and
hope he can rest in peace with
all the health challenges he has
faced for the past 2 Years.
We shall live with his loving
memories.
May the Lord give you the strength
for your loss and and guide you
through this challenging time in
your life.
Our hearts and door is open when
you need a break with your life
from routine.
Your dedication and support to him
during his challenging life situation
is commendable with both mom
and him.
We are there to support you.
Loves
Rita, Robin,
Rahul, Karan,
Samir
All those good memories will live on, may you rest in eternal peace.
Vini our deepest sympathies, wish we were near to hug you tight
Sending you love & praying for supernatural strength.
Hugs & Kisses
Sharon & Suresh
I remember him as a young man full of fun and, at times, amusingly mischievous.
As a student he was smart and clever which enabled him to breeze through three years of Hotel Management studies, finally winning a scholarship to further study in Germany.
Having worked and gained much valuable experience in Europe, he moved to Australia.
In Australia I met him again after many years. By then he was holding managerial positions in Victorian Hotels.
His adventurous sprit took him back to the motherland Sri Lanka as the General Manager of a newly-built prestigious five star hotel
On his return he quickly got back to managing luxury hotel properties of which he was extremely capable.
For us he was a good friend, a friend you could trust and feel comfortable around.
What made him special was his kind nature and positive attitude.
Our condolences to Vini and his family.
Asoka & Sulan
Melbourne Australia
Brother with love so true
You gave us strength in all we do
In every storm you stood so tall
A steady presence through it all
Rufus with your gentle touch
You made our burdens feel less tough
Your laughter echoed warm and bright
A beckon shining through the night
Rufus you are now free to go
Your memory lives for ever blessed
In every heart your spirit stays
A legacy time can’t erase
You will be sadly missed by us all
Your loving brother
Damian