Nastassja Lynn Houg Perez, beloved daughter of Angela Martinez Brotzman and the late L. Bruce Houg, tragically lost her life due to a car accident in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 28, 2024.
Nastassja was born on March 26, 1985 in Wolf Point, MT located on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, although she was a Nez Perce tribal member. Tassja spent many of her younger years living in Wolf Point where she was later joined by a sister, Nicolet, and a brother, Jeffrey. During those years Nastassja attended Frontier Elementary School and was active in 4H spending lots of time on the Houg Family farm with her grandparents, Loren and JoAn Houg.
In the latter part of her youth Nastassja moved with her mother to Texas and then Alabama, dividing her time between there and Montana during middle school and high school. Tassja lost her brother, Jeffrey, when he was only 12 years old while living in Alabama. During the time she resided in Wolf Point, she married a gentleman from there, but after a short marriage she moved back to Alabama.
After having her first son, JJ, in 2007, she moved to Kentucky and then to Las Vegas to join her sister, Nicolet. While in Las Vegas, Tassja had 2 more children; Sage and Lily. A few years later Tassja moved to Colorado to be closer to her mother. This is when she reunited with her middle school sweetheart, whom she would soon marry, Antonio “Tony” Perez. With Tony she gained a stepson Darian, and later they had their first son together, Antonio, Jr., “AJ.”
Tassja was an amazing artist. She began her artistic journey at a young age when she wrote calligraphy and won many coloring contests. As an artist, she was creative, could paint beautifully, and had the best penmanship in the family. Tassja also spent a lot of time making jewelry, beading, and sewing. She also had a vast rock collection which she was always adding to. She always had her eyes on a new creation.
Being that Tony was a veteran, he got a job with the Army Corps of Engineers, which brought him along with Tassja to Tennessee. This is where they added their dog Bowser to the family, and began to build their lives on their own, wanting to plant roots.
Nastassja is preceded in death by her father, Bruce, brother, Jeffrey, grandparents Loren and JoAn Houg, Joe and Alvina Martinez, Jasper Shippentower, and Katherine “Katsy” Jackson; Uncle Joe Martinez, Jr. and Uncle Jeff Howell, and a cousin, Benjamin Houg. Tassja is survived by her husband, Tony, children, JJ, Sage, Lily, and AJ, and stepson, Darian; mother, Angela, stepfather, John Brotzman; sister, Nicolet (BJ) Palmer, nephews, Treyvan, Jeffrey, Jax, and niece, Jewel; step-siblings, Elizabeth, Ben, and McLain Brotzman; aunts and uncles, Tony (Linda) Martinez, Chris (Stacey) Martinez, Sandy (Alija) Mahoney, Marc (Janece) Houg, Becky (Rick) Fritz, and Tonya (Mel) Paulson; several cousins and great aunts and uncles including aunts, uncles, and cousins from the Nez Perce Indian Reservation; and former stepdad Bennie Joe (Sam) Thompson and father figure, Aaron Rutherford.