Jeannette Rita Perry

Jeannette (Jeannie) Rita Perry found peace in God’s loving arms on February 6, 2022. Jeannie was born in Columbus, Ohio on November 18, 1936, one of nine children born to Anna (Brutvan) and Carl Kuskowski. She graduated from Rosary High School and was trained in shorthand writing to work for The Bureau of Unemployment Compensation. After being introduced by her cousin and only a few dates later, Albert Jay (Tony) Perry proposed to Jeannie which began 65 years of marriage on November 3, 1956. She began an adventure of Air Force travel to Casablanca, Morocco where their first two children, Theresa Ann and Michael were born. Once back in the states, they were stationed in Mississippi and then Maine where Steven was born, and finally back to Columbus, Ohio where Craig, Tony, and Joey were born. Eventually Jeannie and Tony would move to Winter Park, Florida where they raised their six children in the Florida sun.

Jeannie will be remembered for her selfless devotion to her family, her never-ending patience with raising six children, and amazing dedication in creating a loving home. Her children remember a hot breakfast and a hand-packed bag lunch each day for school. She loved to be outdoors in the warm Florida sun, either working in her yard and garden, watching her kids play sports, or spending Sundays at the beach with her family after 8AM Mass. She taught her children the importance of prayer as she was faithful in starting every morning with a prayer for each of them, as well as lighting candles at church for her loved ones.

Jeannie was devoted to her husband, Tony, and supported him in all things. One particular season of their lives, she managed everything in the family while raising six young children so that Tony could work on his undergraduate and graduate degrees. Her children saw her work ethic, resilience, and strength in all she did on a daily basis and these attributes are ingrained in who they are today.

After all six children were in school, Jeannie worked part time at Sears Credit Central where she was known to be highly efficient, just as she was in taking care of her home and family. After 15 years of raising their family in Winter Park, Jeannie and Tony moved to Merritt Island where she volunteered at Cape Canaveral Hospital and attended Brevard Community College. More travel was in store as Jeannie and Tony moved to Alpharetta, Georgia where Jeannie joined a women’s tennis league. Their last move before returning back to Florida was to Huntsville, Alabama, where Jeannie fell in love with cooking shows and showered Dad with gourmet cooking. After all their travels, they loved being back with their family and under the beautiful Florida skies.

Jeannie is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Anna Kuskowski, her brothers, Lawrence Kuskowski and David Kuskowski, and her sisters, Mary Ann Ruth and Theresa Macklin. She is survived and will be greatly missed by her husband, Albert Jay (Tony) Perry, her six children, Theresa (Perry) Doerfler (Glenn), Michael Perry, Steven Perry (Lisa), Craig Perry, Albert Jay (Tony) Perry Jr. (Karla), Joseph (Joey) Perry (Youngy). Jeannie is also survived by her brothers, James Kuskowski and Charles Kuskowski, and sisters, Elizabeth VanAtta and Dolores Catalfino. She will be fondly remembered by her 18 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

Jeannie will be forever loved and cherished as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and sister. We find peace in knowing that Jeannie is at home with our Lord, who has promised eternal life. We will carry her in our heart today, forever and always.

A funeral Mass will be held at 2:00PM on February 18th at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 575 Tuskawilla Road, Winter Springs followed by internment at Glen Haven Memorial Park, Winter Park, FL. Arrangements by Baldwin-Fairchild Conway Funeral Home.