James Louis Perry

Jim was a devoted husband to Kathleen (Calhoun) Perry, who passed away January 5, 2023. They were an inseparable pair for 65 years. He was a loving father to his children, Elizabeth Grey (Larry) Webb of Cary, NC, Leslie (Greg) Brewer of Powhatan VA, and Kevin (Andrea) Perry of Raleigh, NC; proud grandfather to Taylor Webb, Megan Brewer (Westin) Hayden, Lauren Webb (William) Murray, Cameron Brewer, Addison Perry and Ava Perry; and proud great-grandfather to Cooper Hayden, Tupper Grey Murray, Tommy Hayden, and Forehand Murray.

He is survived by his sister, Linda Perry Jones of Atlanta, GA, and was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Olive Perry, and siblings, Ronald (Jean) Perry and David (Jet) Perry.

Jim was born February 24, 1935 and raised in Hartland, NY. He graduated from Barker Central School in 1952 and went on to earn an Agricultural Engineering degree from Michigan State University. Jim worked alongside his father and brother, Ronald, at C.J. Perry & Son, a farm equipment and John Deere dealership in Hartland. He then designed, manufactured and patented a mechanical fruit harvester in 1971, launching Perry Harvester Corp. He also designed, manufactured and patented a retractable rotary orchard mower in 1978.

Jim served as a member and President of the Royalton Hartland Central School District School Board for several years in the late 1970s. He was an active member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Lockport, NY as a youth Sunday School teacher and a leader in missions work. He had a passion for flying and took his young family on numerous trips in his small Piper airplane.

Jim and Kathleen moved to Raleigh, NC in 1985 where they retired and began traveling extensively throughout Europe and to China. For 35 years, they were active members of Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh.

Jim was a Visionary and had a strong calling to serve others. For over 15 years, through ESUMC Missions, he led 13 work team trips to Liberia, West Africa teaching self-reliance and providing services to the impoverished Liberians. The focus was on teaching various forms of self-sustaining agriculture, expanding children's education resources, and teaching how to extract valuable nutrition from Moringa leaves for malnourished mothers and their babies. His legacy will undoubtedly live on in those remote villages of Liberia.

A celebration of Life will be held at the Edenton Street United Methodist Church 228 W Edenton Street, Raleigh on November 10, 2024 at 2:00PM

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jim can be made to Children of Vietnam at www.childrenofvietnam.org.