Charles Perry Ames

Perry Ames passed away peacefully with his family nearby. He was the middle child born to Ben Allen Ames, Sr. and Olive Carter Ames of Oklahoma City. Perry was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife Bettye Ames. Perry also was preceded in death by his older brother Ben Allen Ames, Jr. and his younger sister Olive Mowe. He is survived by his three sons and daughters-in-law, eight grandchildren and two great grandsons: oldest son Dr. Scott Ames and his wife Hari Lu of Tulsa and their children: daughter Lauren Snedden and husband Conner of Dallas, daughter Meredith Dills and husband Darius and their twin sons Jensen and Ames of Dallas, and daughter Alison Ames of Tulsa; middle son Brett Ames and wife Carol and their children: daughter Brittney Ames, son Brandon Ames, and son Grant Ames and wife Joanna, all of San Diego; and youngest son Mack Ames and wife Kim and their children: daughter Erin Ames of Oklahoma City, and daughter Blair Rische and husband Andrew of Houston.

Perry was a man of impressive scholastic accomplishment. He graduated valedictorian of Pembroke Country Day School in Kansas City. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from the University of Oklahoma. Perry practiced law in Oklahoma City at the Ames law firm started by his grandfather.

Typical of his generation, Perry was also a very humble WWII veteran, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Perry received the Bronze Star for his service in the Pacific theater and also received the Purple Heart after being wounded by machine gun fire in the line of duty.

Among all of his many accomplishments in life, his family will most remember that Perry gave up his life of being a bachelor and married Bettye on April 19th, 1969. From that point forward he transformed the lives of a single mother and three young boys and became their only real father and the light of their lives. From vacations to college, to fishing trips, summer camp or skiing, Perry jumped into the role of father with gusto and never looked back. And while words can never adequately express the gratitude we feel for his presence in our lives, we were able to thank him many times for being such a great dad.

Perry and Bettye loved to travel often in the continental U.S., Hawaii and abroad visiting many Caribbean islands as well as Canada, and Mexico. They enjoyed numerous happy times with their many wonderful friends at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club and also enjoyed going to OU football games both in Norman and on the road. Perry and Bettye were pet lovers and they always had at least one beloved pet dog in the home as well as their long time companion, Handsome Hank the foul mouthed parrot.

And of course no tribute to Perry would be complete without saying that his was a life well lived, FOR GOSH SAKES!

Special thanks to Pam Chadwell and to all the fine people at Touchmark at Coffee Creek, Bellevue Health Center and Centennial Hospice. You all helped us so much to make dad’s last days the best they could be.

A memorial service will be held at 2pm, Thursday, May 8, 2014, at Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel.

Godspeed Perry Ames.