Louis Melvin Perry

1944-2016

Louis (Lou) Melvin Perry, 72, of Houston, TX passed away peacefully on November 29, 2016. A Funeral Mass honoring his life will be held at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church on December 12, 2016 at 1:30 pm.

Lou was born in Detroit, Michigan to Louie and Julia Perry on March 1, 1944. He attended East Detroit High School where he was a star basketball player and was honored as an All-State selection. Lou graduated from the University of Houston in 1969. He was a three-year letterman at UH playing basketball for Hall of Fame coach Guy V. Lewis.

Lou married Marlene Konarski on August 27, 1966 and they remained married for over 50 years until the time of his death. Lou had a successful career as a Financial Advisor for 47 years for several top firms including Merrill Lynch and Prudential Securities. He was a wonderful father who was extremely involved in the lives of his children, coaching many of their teams, offering support and guidance, and cheering them on in their successes.

Lou is preceded in death by his parents Louie and Julia.

Lou is survived by his wife Marlene Perry, daughter Lanette Perry Johnson and husband Jacob, son Vernon Perry and wife Corrinn Davis, and grandsons Luke and Joseph Johnson. He is also survived by his cousins John Perry, Joe Perry, Jim Perry, Jeff Perry, Melvin Czechowski, Michael Czechowski, Colette Yager and Charmain Maltese.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Houston Student-Athlete Scholarships Program.

A TRIBUTE TO LOU PERRY FOR A LIFE WELL-LIVED...

INTRODUCTION

We are so grateful to have had the incredible blessing of knowing and loving Lou Perry and being a part of his family. He was a great man who impacted so many lives for good while he walked the earth. While this tribute will not do his memory justice, below are just a few of the stories of a life well-lived.

THE EARLY YEARS

Early on, life was difficult. As he rode home in the car from his father, Louie’s, funeral, having said goodbye to his mother, Julia, for the last time just two short years earlier, six-year old Lou Perry found himself suddenly an orphan. It is hard to imagine the magnitude of swirling emotions Lou must have felt on that warm April day in 1950 at the loss of both parents at such a tender age - overwhelming grief, confusion, uncertainty, fear. Who would tie his shoes? Who would feed him? Who would tuck him in at night? Where would he live?

At the time, no one could have predicted what would eventually become of Lou’s life. It seems improbable and unlikely. The nuns at St. Anthony’s Elementary who taught him would not have believed it. He barely passed their classes, except for art, where he got his highest grade, a B. Lou would not have believed it. He barely believed it even after it happened, often commenting later in life that when he looked back, he was amazed at what a blessed life he had lived. He knew his guardian angels were looking out for him. No one could have predicted it at the time, but God had big plans for Lou.

If there is one thing in scripture that is clear, a theme that runs throughout both Old and New Testament, it is this – God cares deeply for widows and orphans. In Psalm 68 God says that he himself will be a “father to the fatherless.” James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

In 1950 God seemed to take a keen interest in a six year old orphan from East Detroit and it became clear over the next 66 years that God’s hand was on Lou’s life, guiding him.

After the death of Lou’s father, Lou’s kind-hearted bachelor uncle, Angelo Perry (Uncle Ange), who had just lost his brother Louie to leukemia, offered to take in and raise his six-year-old nephew. This is one of the first big blessings that Lou would remember about his life. His uncle Ange, a machinist by trade, took Lou in, provided for him and sacrificed a large part of his future plans so that he could care for and become a father figure to Lou. Uncle Ange loved Lou like a son and was very proud of him. It is a credit to Uncle Ange’s example that Lou became the incredible father to his children that he did.

The Perry family was very close, and close family bonds would continue to be a theme throughout Lou’s life. Every Saturday and Sunday Uncle Ange would drive Lou the 27 miles from East Detroit over to Ange’s brother John’s house in Allen Park. There Lou would visit with his aunt and uncle and play with his cousins John, Joe, Jim and Jeff Perry. The four Perry cousins were younger than Lou. He loved them very much and would always describe them as being like little brothers to him.

When Lou was about ten years old, his Aunt Virginia (Ange’s sister) and her son, John Pappas, came to live with them. John Pappas and Lou were close in age and the two cousins living in the same house quickly became like brothers. Thus, within a few years of losing his parents God provided Lou with a surrogate father (Uncle Ange), mother (Aunt Virginia) and brother (John Pappas) who were all blood relatives and loved him deeply.

THE BASKETBALL YEARS

Lou would eventually grow to be 6’8” and become a basketball star at East Detroit High School and the University of Houston. Both those schools can thank Lou’s best childhood friend, John Iras, for getting Lou into the sport. Lou was not planning on trying out for the basketball team until his friend, John, told Lou that he was planning to try out. Lou enjoyed spending time with his friend, so he decided to try out also. They both made the team and in their senior year on a very snowy day in front of a packed house, John and Lou brought home the District Championship for the East Detroit Shamrocks with Lou hitting a game-winning turnaround jumper from the top of the key as time expired. All the Perry cousins were there to cheer them on and Lou’s Uncle John had to double-park in front of the janitor’s room because all of the other parking spaces were full. An angry janitor immediately told them they could not park there, but when John said that they had driven nearly 30 miles in the snow to watch his nephew Lou Perry play, the janitor said, “Oh, you’re Lou Perry’s uncle. You don’t worry about a thing. You can park here, and I will make sure nothing happens to your car.”

Lou was an All-State basketball selection in his senior year of High School and was recruited by several colleges including Michigan, Davidson and the University of Houston. UH had heard about him because they were recruiting another player from the Detroit area and that player’s coach told them that the only player who could stop him was Lou Perry. Lou went down to the University of Houston to visit with Hall of Fame coach Guy V. Lewis and committed to play for the Cougars on the spot. It was at the University of Houston that he would meet the man who would become his closest friend, team manager, Howie Lorch. Howie was a very smart and talented young man who had just come to UH from New York. Like Lou, Howie was new to Houston and would eventually go on to become a very successful businessman. Also like Lou, Howie had lost his father at the age of six. The two became fast friends and remained so until the time of Lou’s death.

Lou enjoyed a great basketball career playing for the University of Houston Cougars from 1962 – 1966. His teammates included Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney. Lou played behind Elvin Hayes and was a crowd favorite. Often at home games the student section would start the chant, “Lou, Lou, Lou, Lou”, until coach Lewis put him in the game, at which point the crowd would erupt in cheers. Lou was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.

Lou loved the University of Houston. He always said that he was so grateful for the education he received there and wanted to do everything he could to support it. He had court-side season tickets for University of Houston basketball games for many years, right next to those of his good friend, Howie Lorch. He mentored players, donated money to the school and was a proud member of the H Association for many years, wearing his big red blazer proudly to UH games and events.

Lou was so passionate about the University of Houston that he convinced his younger cousin Jim Perry to come play for the Cougars a decade later. On Lou’s recommendation, Guy V. Lewis offered Jim the last scholarship they had, sight unseen. Jim went on to play all four years and co-captained a team, along with Otis Birdsong, in his senior year that won 29 games. Jim was later instrumental in getting Guy V. Lewis inducted into the Hall of Fame. Like his cousin, Jim was a big-time crowd favorite. Lanette remembers being a four-year-old dressed in her UH cheerleader outfit with pompoms in hand and going to the games with her dad. She would hear the crowd chanting, “Perry, Perry, Perry” for Jim and would get excited because Lou and Howie had convinced her that they were cheering for her.

THE FAMILY YEARS

Lou’s best childhood friend, John Iras, had already been instrumental in shaping Lou’s life by getting him interested in basketball. In June of 1965, John Iris was again involved in shaping Lou’s future by introducing him to Marlene Konarski, the woman who would become his wife. While Lou was home for the summer, John said that he was going on a date with a girl who had a twin sister and asked if Lou would join them on a double-date. Lou agreed and said that when he saw Marlene walk out of her house he gulped because she was so beautiful. The date went well and was followed by others that summer; the two fell in love.

Lou eventually made what he would later call BY FAR the best decision of his life and asked Marlene to marry him. She agreed and they were married on August 27, 1966. They would remain married for the next 50+ years until the time of Lou’s death. Marlene faithfully cared for Lou throughout his life and especially during the last seventeen years as he battled Parkinson’s disease. Lou always felt like God must really love him to allow him to marry a woman like Marlene.

Lou was extremely nervous about bringing Marlene to Houston for the first time in August after they were married. He knew it would be very hot. When she stepped off the plane in Houston for the first time in the sweltering, nearly 100 degree heat, her first words were, “I’m never leaving.” Marlene never liked the cold Michigan winters and was happy to be somewhere with sunshine and warmth. Lou and Marlene both finished their college degrees at the University of Houston. Marlene finished first as Lou seemed to love the University so much that he took his sweet time completing his coursework.

After college, Lou settled into a career as a Financial Advisor and enjoyed almost immediate success. His natural charisma, insuppressible positive attitude, and genuine care for his clients’ well-being catapulted him into what would be an immensely productive 47-year career working for some of the top firms on Wall Street including Merrill Lynch, Rotan Mosle, and Prudential Securities. Lou always enjoyed being part of the financial services industry and worked very hard at his job, often studying financial market reports and information late into the night after his kids had gone to bed. He enjoyed his work so much that he would often tell people that he never wanted to retire.

Lou seemed to radiate joy and positivity and he was loved by colleagues and clients alike. His sincere interest in doing his best to help them resulted in a fierce loyalty that was seen in many of his business relationships including that of his assistant, Joanne Dell’Osso, who worked with Lou for more than 40 years.

Lou and Marlene bought a house in Katy, Texas after doing some research and finding out that Katy had excellent schools. They began their family shortly thereafter. Lanette was born in 1973 and Vernon came along in 1977. Lou was an elite basketball player. He was hugely successful in his career. Lou had many talents. But the thing he was BEST at by far, the thing he seemed born to do and will be remembered for most, was being an incredible father.

Lou coached all of Lanette and Vernon’s youth basketball teams. He coached Vernon’s dad-pitch baseball team and was the undisputed MVP of dad pitchers. With his long arms and 6’8” frame he could almost reach from the pitcher’s mound to home plate when he stretched out and the kids were basically hitting the ball out of his hand. As they got older, “Big Lou” almost never missed any of Lanette or Vernon’s volleyball or basketball games and worked with them individually on their games anytime they gave him the chance.

He was a permanent fixture in the stands at Taylor High School, and for Lanette’s High School volleyball team, he morphed into a 6’8”, 275 lb very hairy cheerleader. At every game, Lou would stand up on the bottom bench of the bleachers, back to the game, facing the other parents in the stands with arms fully extended and lead them in a cheer that he made up. He would yell, “Oooooooooooooooooooooh!” while bringing his arms slowly up in an ‘O’ shape above his head and then, “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!,” pumping his fists in the air. The crowd loved him.

Lou was a devout Catholic and good spiritual example to his children. He was a long-time parishioner of St. John Vianney Catholic church where you could find Lou, Marlene, Lanette and Vernon every Sunday. Lou was very generous and served as a Eucharistic minister at St. John Vianney. He considered it a great honor to serve and described the experience of feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit when he did. When looking back at his life, Lou was convinced that God’s hand had guided him and was overwhelmed that he had been able to lead such a blessed life.

Lou was a fantastic example to Lanette and Vernon of what a dad should be, always eager to offer support and guidance. Their successes academically, athletically, in the business world, and in the development of their strong moral character was in no small part a result of having a fantastic father who helped provide a loving, secure home for his children.

When Lou’s grandsons, Luke and Joseph, were born in 2006 and 2008 he was thrilled and could not spend enough time with them. He would visit several times a week, attending as many of their school and sporting events as possible. Over the past few years, he has been a constant fixture on the sideline of their basketball games, sitting in his wheelchair, counting their points, and cheering them on.

Kind, loving, generous, and grateful. Wonderful father and grandfather. We love you, Lou, and miss you dearly. We are comforted knowing that you are in heaven with our Lord and Savior.