Richard "Dick" Dean Perry

Richard(Dick) Dean Perry, passed away in his home in Zephyrhills, FL on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at the age of 77 years old, after battling Parkinson’s Disease for 17 years.  Richard was born April 28, 1944 in South Bend, Indiana. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ruby Perry, his son Richie Perry, his daughter Tamara Davis, his son-in-law Terry Davis, his 5 grandchildren, Madison Geisler, Josiah Davis, Sawyer Davis, Jaden Davis and Nupoe Davis, his sister Carol Henderson, and several nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his parents Charles and Esther Perry, his sister Arlene Rhodes and his brother Bob Perry. Richard grew up in South Bend, Indiana until his family moved to Tampa, Florida when he was a teenager. He graduated from King High School and then went on to graduate with a degree in Physics from University of South Florida. He retired from GTE in Tampa after a long career as a Senior Systems Engineer.

Richard was a loving and faithful husband to his wife Ruby. He loved listening to her play the piano and over the years enjoyed singing in the choirs she directed at church. He was a wonderful father to his children Tamara and Richie and gave them many great memories of playing games, joking around, fishing off their dock and camping. He was an amazing grandfather “papa” to his 5 grandchildren. He loved spending time with his grandchildren, attending their school events, recitals and sporting events, listening to them talk about their lives and telling them fun stories about his younger days.

Richard had a great passion for life. He loved a good laugh, a meaningful conversation, and staying active, including going skydiving after his Parkinson’s diagnosis and sledding and playing in the snow with his grandkids.

He was an avid runner for much of his life and competed in several races, including reaching his goal of completing a marathon. A huge sports fan, he loved watching any and all sports on TV, especially Notre Dame football, the Boston Celtics, the Chicago White Sox and PGA golf tournaments. He recently said, “What I like about sports is… it takes me to another place. It relaxes me. There is a lot of life in sports. I’ve learned a lot about being a person from sports.”  He also loved to fish anywhere he could and over the years enjoyed taking his boat out on the rivers and lakes of Florida.
He had a deep love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and no matter what life threw his way, he always clung to and took great comfort in his faith. He loved and served the church as a deacon, elder and Sunday school teacher. He spent many hours studying and memorizing the Bible, and was known for his loud “Amens” during a good sermon at church. Shortly before his death, he shared with his daughter that one thing he wanted people to know was that he loved God’s word.

Until we meet again…

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”     -‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:1-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬