Dennis A. Pereira

Dennis A. Pereira, 57, of Stonington, beloved husband of 36 years to Gail (Rego) Pereira passed away Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London.
Born in New Bedford, Mass., on Nov. 5, 1950, he lived in Massachusetts, Alabama, and Rhode Island. before moving to Stonington in 1983.
Dennis earned a degree in biology from Providence College in 1972. His education continued at the University of Alabama at Birmingham receiving his Ph.D. in molecular genetics and biology in August 1979, and he finished his post-doctoral work at Yale University.
Dennis was hired as the first recombinant DNA engineer at Pfizer and retired in 2006 as a Senior Research Investigator after over 25 years with the company. During this time, he introduced high throughput screening to Pfizer and the world and later applied this technology to early toxicology screening. In 1989, he won the inaugural Award for Pfizer Central Research Achievement for automating natural product screening.
Dennis enjoyed traveling with his wife, especially their trips to Hawaii, and loved taking his two dogs for their daily walks. Most of all, Dennis enjoyed spending time with his family and will be deeply missed.
In addition to his wife, he leaves his father, Anthony Pereira and his wife, Theresa, of Mattapoisett, Mass.; his mother, Irene Cabot and her husband, David, of Westerly; his children, Erin Conlan and her husband, Sean, of Essex, and his twin sons, Matthew Pereira of New Haven and Adam Pereira of Stonington; two sisters-in-law, Norma Bridge of Norton, Mass., and Lily Hall of Acushnet, Mass.; three brothers-in-law, John Rego (deceased) and Herbert Rego of New Bedford, Mass., and Robert Rego and his wife, Rena, of Quincy, Mass.; a stepbrother, Edward Adams of Newtown, Conn., and a stepsister, Melissa Trahan of Bethlehem N.H.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues, and friends. He was also loved by his parents-in-law, John and Lily Rego of New Bedford, Mass.
The family will receive friends today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Mystic Funeral Home, Route 1, Mystic. Funeral services and burial are private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Donor Services, P.O. Box 472, Pittsfield, MA 01212. (www.leukemia-lymphoma.org) or to the American Cancer Society, 106 Route 32, Franklin Commons, Franklin, CT 06254. (www.cancer.org).
The family invites you to visit www.mysticfuneralhome.com for the online guest book and directions.