Oliver Perry Sr.

Oliver Perry Obituary

Oliver L. Perry Sr. VIRGINIA BEACH - Oliver Linwood "Fish Hawk" Perry Sr., 87, moved on from the physical world on Oct. 2, 2010 into the spiritual world. He was born in Norfolk on Oct. 7, 1922 to the late Richard L. Perry Sr. and Fannie Bond Perry. He served his country in World War II in the Army Air Corps and retired after 32 years combined military and civil service from the Naval Air Rework Facility as senior supervisor aircraft aeronautical examiner. Mr. Perry and his brother, Richard explored the woods, waters, and sand dunes of the Outer Banks, especially Kitty Hawk during the 1930s before the natural beauty was permanently altered by paved roads, automobiles and modern civilization. Mr. Perry is survived by a daughter, Diane P. Hughes and her husband Douglas; a daughter-in-law, Shelley P. Perry; a granddaughter, Heather P. Walcott and her husband Jesse and their son Peyton and daughter-in-law Alden; three grandsons, Robert Summerhill and his wife Jannifer, Benjamin Summerhill and his wife Charnelle, and Michael Hughes; two great-granddaughters, Rebecca and Rio Summerhill; and four great-grandsons, Jackson and Jarrett Summerhill and Sverre Hughes, and Skyler Hughes. Mr. Perry was preceded in death by Rio, his best friend and loving wife of 56 years; a son, Oliver Linwood Perry Jr.; a sister, Catherine P. Buskey; and a brother, Richard L. Perry Jr. After his retirement, he became very active in local, state and national American Indian affairs. He was instrumental in the reorganization of the Nansemond Indian Tribe and obtaining official state recognition. He was an active participant in numerous Indian organizations including Jamestown Settlement Indian Museum Advisory Committee, Hampton University Native American Advisory Committee, National Governors' Interstate Indian Council, National Conference of American Indians, National Indian Education Association, Jamestown Rediscovery Archaeological Advisory Board, appointed by the governor to the Virginia Council on Indians from 1986 to 1995. He represented the Commonwealth of Virginia to the National Governors' Interstate Indian Council Conference from 1986 to 1995. He planned the return of the Nansemond Tribe to their ancestral homeland in 1988 for the first time in 380 years. He also planned and coordinated the reburial of 18 human remains of the Paspahegh Indian Tribe at Governors Land in 1993, the first Indian reburial in Virginia and the reburial of 64 human remains of the Chesapeake Indian Tribe at First Landing State Park in 1997. He assisted in coordinating the reinterment of 10 human Indian remains at Indiantown Park in Northhampton County in 1998. Mr. Perry was a frequent speaker on the goals, status, objectives and Indian history from an Indian perspective. He was Honorary Citizen, City of Suffolk, Oct. 2, 1986; Honorary Citizen, City of Chesapeake, Jan. 12, 1988; Honorary Citizen, Town of Kitty Hawk, N.C., July 7, 2003; and received a Brotherhood Citation from National Conference of Christians and Jews, March 19, 1991; and had 50 years of service as a Senior DeMolay in 1990. Mr. Perry received Hampton University Presidential Award for Outstanding Citizenship in 1998 and received Hampton University Presidential Citation in 1998. He was Chief Emeritus of the Nansemond Indian Tribe. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at Smith and Williams Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nansemond Indian Tribe, P.O. Box 2095, Portsmouth, VA 23702-2095 to aid the hungry and homeless.

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Published by The Virginian-Pilot on Oct. 10, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
for Oliver Perry

2 Entries

Deanna Beacham

January 25, 2024

Linwood Perry was my cousin. When my family returned to Virginia after living in other places in the country for years, he was hugely instrumental in introducing me to the Virginia Indian community. His introduction propelled me into the notice of Native leaders and set the course for my work in Virginia until my retirement decades later. I visited him at his deathbed and talked to him about being reunited with Rio. I was honored be chosen by him as one of two speakers at his funeral service. His picture is a permanent fixture on my office desk so that he inspires me daily.

Charles Hodges

October 10, 2010

My name is Charley Hodges and as an archaeologist I had the privledge of working closely with Oliver Perry extensively in the 1992-1993 period. At that time he gracefully guided us through the reburial process of Native Americans rescued from heavy machinery at the archaeological Site 44PG308 at the Governor's Land on Two Rivers (Golf Hole # 18 being a both large complex burial ground and architecturally and socially vibrant well organized village). Rather than being dogmatic about mortuary remains Oliver was kind enough to allow our staff to remove and study the minute chemical properties of copper beads that were part of the more high staus burials. Because of this understanding from Oliver, scientists were able to recognize that many beads were specifically traded by the English to the Paspahegh from Jamestown at sometime between 1607 and 1610 providing us with one of the most tightly dated archaeological sites on record. These items were then returned to each burial. During our many exchanges, Oliver had the remarkable ability to be insistant and directive with us without being even remotely oppressive or antagonistic. He did this by conducting himself in the utmost gentelmanly manner imaginable. He took great care to explain to me his persepctive on "what ought to be done" and why from his own perspective and as a spokesman for all Native Americans. So rather than fighting one another we quickly became great friends and even allies in the big picture. The later Native American reburial ceremonies Oliver helped organize at the Governor's Land were frankly the most moving funeral services I had ever witnessed in my life. To wit it was literally all I could do to not break down and cry in a heap then and there for I did personally know each and every person being buried very well indeed. We have lost a kind, gentle, and irreplacable leader who could bring people of diverse perspectives together in a good and productive way. Even in advanced years no one that looked him in the eyes could fail to see the very bright light shining within or forget his disarming smiles. I - or none of my colleagues with similar experiences - will never forget this man or his noble heartfelt wisdom. We all learned from this man each and every time we met him. (10-10-10)

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