Joel Kennith Perry

Joel Kennith Perry, 69, of Van Alstyne, Texas passed away of a heart attack on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at the Yuma Regional Medical Center. He lived most of his life in Yuma, AZ.

Joel was an incredibly intelligent man who worked hard his entire life. He was a soldier in the Marine Corps and fought bravely in the Vietnam War. He had a number of different jobs, but no matter where his career took him he had an incredible work ethic. It's one of the many inspiring qualities that he passed down to his three grateful children who were and are absolutely nuts about him.

Joel was a very passionate person and had a strong love for his family and friends. He would give you the shirt off his back and if anyone was ever in need, day or night, Joel was usually the first on the scene, smiling and eager to help.

He had a life-long love affair with chocolate ice cream, cookies, biscuits and gravy, scratcher tickets, cars, all things fast and dangerous, cigarettes, metal trinkets that needed restoring, animals and finding AAA-rated RV Campgrounds.

He was excellent at rebuilding cars, making old things work like new, making his kids laugh uncontrollably and telling people to "shove it" if they hurt the feelings of someone he loved. He was a warrior for all the underdogs of the world.

He took extreme pride in his three children and his grandson Lennox. He spoke of them often and to anyone that would listen. He taught them to change a tire, select a quality hammer, to love each other, to work hard but not take life to seriously, to live within your means and to be thankful for what you have every day.

He will be greatly missed and thought of everyday by an abundance of people who had the great pleasure of knowing him and loving him dearly. He will live on in all of our hearts.

From his children: Dad, you were neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose LOVE has always shown us the way. We love you, we miss you.