Helen Beth Perry

Helen Beth Bentley Perry in her written words, “Well, it’s taken long enough! I finally made it!” She “welcomed her escape from old age,” peacefully on March 24, 2019. She was born on April 4, 1928, in Oklahoma City, OK to Warren E. Bentley and Ollie A. Kerr Bentley.

She was married in Oklahoma City, OK and served as a Navy wife for 21 years to her husband of 70 years, Kenneth A. Perry. After many transfers, living in several states in the U.S., they settled in Jacksonville when Ken retired.

Mrs. Perry is predeceased by her parents, her husband and her five siblings. She is survived by her three children, Pamela L. Perry Wiker (Warren), Scott Kenneth Perry (Donna), Angela Perry Minford (Jeff-deceased), as well as three grand-children, Todd A. Wiker (Kellie), Leah J. Minford, Perry J. Minford (Tasha), and two great-grandchildren, Bailey Rule and Sofia Minford.

In her early years she enjoyed secretarial work in various fields. She returned to school in middle age and graduated Magna Cum Laude in Visual Arts from UNF. She was very active in art shows around Jacksonville for about twenty years and authored three published novels.

Mrs. Perry was active in various non-profit organizations and was a board member of the local ACLU for 12 years and the local chapter of Americans United for a number of years. She co-founded the First Coast Freethought Society. She was co-founder and served on the Board of Navy Squadron VP-8 Alumni Association and wrote its newsletter for 17 years.

Mrs. Perry was loved dearly by her family and friends—Gone but never forgotten. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Jacksonville Humane Society, or the First Coast Freethought Society. A

Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, April 7, 2019 in Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin 11801 San Jose Boulevard Jacksonville, FL 32223.