James Ellis Perry

James Ellis Perry (89) was born on May 13, 1936 in Neptune, New Jersey. On October 19, 2025, James was peacefully reunited with his beloved, late mother (Elizabeth Stokes Perry), his father (James Boyd Perry), his wife (Jean Perry), his sisters (Sylvia Doster, Beatrice Lilly Dawley, Dora Lee Swanson, and Annie Foy), his brother (Leon Willie Perry), his daughter (Pamela Perry), and his grandson (Kevin Lee Williams). His surviving family members are his loving sisters (Frances Ann Murphy and Linda Revelle Nelson), his cherished daughters (Paulette Perry, Karen Elizabeth Menyfield, and Kristy Ellise Perry), his respected son-in-law (Bobby Ray Menyfield), his treasured grandchildren (Agen James Pertillar, Tanya Elizabeth Perry, Quintin Robert Perry, and Brandon Rashad Menyfield) and great grandchildren (Madyson Elizabeth Staley and Chase Michael Staley), as well as his many, deeply-loved nieces and nephews.
Family was always the center of James' world throughout his entire lifetime. His biological and his chosen family members always felt cared for since he had an openness and understanding which exuded from him easily, as did his distinctive and infectious laugh. Enjoying his time on earth was very important to him. From childhood through middle age, James was consistently and enthusiastically active in athletics. While attending Freehold High School in New Jersey, he played sports year-round, enjoying basketball, football, and pole vaulting for the track and field team. James enjoyed sports so much that he continued playing flag football into his mid-40s even when he was employed in both full-time and part-time positions.
Being Postmaster on the U.S.S. Des Moines, while in the United States Navy, was James' favorite time during his professional life. There were approximately 1,700 service members on the vessel throughout his 4 years in the service, and he was responsible for supervising 3 postal clerks as they managed all of the mail-related needs for the ship. When the day was done, James found going topside in the evenings and surrendering to the overwhelming tranquility, absolutely euphoric, while taking in the sights and sounds of being on the open water. After his honorable discharge from the Navy, James Ellis Perry continued his work in the U.S. Postal Service on land. He was promoted from being a clerk to subsequently holding a series of managerial positions which increased in responsibility over the decades when he worked for the United States Postal Service. His most notable positions at the end of his career were when he served as Postmaster of South Windsor, and a few years later, as the Manager of Commercial Accounts at the Hartford Post Office, which was his final postal position when he retired at age 55. As a supervisor, James worked many 12+ hour days each day of the week and earned the respect and admiration of many of his customers, employees, co-workers, and supervisors. He fostered many relationships, which continued to flourish for decades after his retirement, and he maintained contact with, and continued to mentor, a great number of his former supervisors, co-workers, and employees. James Ellis Perry has enriched countless lives with his admirable and continuous generosity, his profound love for those around him, his passion to uphold his honorable convictions, and his deep and unwavering wisdom; we are all better for having known him, and he will remain forever in our hearts.
Family and friends are invited to gather in May of 2026 at Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home which is located at 419 Buckland Road in South Windsor, Connecticut for James' Homegoing Ceremony. There will be a Memorial Service at the funeral home followed by a burial service with Military Honors at Wapping Cemetery in South Windsor where James will take his final resting place next to his wife. Further details will be provided by the family at a later date.