Edward "Lee" Lee Perry

Edward Lee Perry, “Lee”, died suddenly and unexpectedly on March 16, 2023. He was a young 76 and loved his life that was filled with music, art, film, opera and travel. He cherished his family and his friends. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Helen Wade Greene Perry and Albert Dean Perry. He leaves his wife, Slocumb “Cokie” Perry of 52 years and his beloved dog, Ozzie. He adored his wife’s family, especially his sister in law, Anne Hollis Perkins and niece and nephew, Annie and Jamie Ireland, and his Perry relatives and cousins, his former sister in law, Rachel Claflin, and his brother Wade’s children and grandchildren.

He grew up going to the Cleveland Orchestra concerts and regularly visited the Cleveland Museum of Art where his family, the Wades, have always been deeply involved. From a young age his passions were music, all genres from Bruckner to the Beatles, film, and photography. He built his own dark room. Music was always playing in his house and in his car. He never stopped collecting musical recordings, first vinyl records, then tapes and ultimately CD’s. He developed an extensive library of seminal musical works. With his eyes closed he could identify the sound of specific record labels and where and when a recording was made, as well as the conductor, the orchestra, and the soloists. His vast collection eventually filled whole rooms and eventually storage units. He could answer any question about any composer, the times they lived in and whom they studied with, who influenced their work, and how. At performances he could hear individual lines being brought out in the orchestra and explain the conductor’s intent. It was always a delight to hear him describe every nuance.

He was a superb cook, known for a perfect Filet. He always wore a coat and tie, instilled in him by his school days, and a dress code he felt most comfortable in. He was a snappy dresser and had a vast collection of ties that were always thoughtfully coordinated with the theme of the event or performance. And always chinos for casual days. Never jeans.

Lee was a graduate of Hawken School, in Cleveland, Philips Exeter Academy, The University of Rochester, and graduate school in Film at Boston University. While at B.U. he volunteered to teach the classes on Sound. His Film School classmates bonded quickly, and he regularly hosted dinners for his class at Trader Vic’s in the former Boston Statler Hotel. He and his fellow students were truthfully told the Film business was nearly impossible to break into. Against all odds, soon after graduation, Lee was approached by a longtime friend and sent a script by Martin Scorsese who had recently graduated from New York University Film School. Lee and his friend produced Marty’s first major film, “Mean Streets”, which also introduced two relatively unknown New York actors, Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel.

Lee and Cokie first met in Miss Moore’s Nursery School in Cleveland where they were taught music, reading, writing, and art at age 3 and 4. Lee won the music prize and Cokie won the reading prize. They were married in 1971 and lived in Boston from the very start. Typical of easing going, relaxed Lee, he knew Cokie had always and forever wanted to live in Boston. Boston became their lifelong home. They returned from their honeymoon and two weeks later, Lee realized he would have to take over in the kitchen or risk fire and mayhem. Fortunately he loved to cook, and even loved to do the marketing and all the errands. When not immersed in their busy life in Boston, they traveled widely, and often joined the Perry family at their cherished Millpond, in the heart of quail country in Thomasville, Georgia. Lee loved Millpond. He and Cokie ultimately inherited the vast property, and proudly continued the generations of family commitment to conservation and careful land management. They updated the historic main house, built new kennels and barns, and insured the future of the property for family generations to come.

Lee was naturally athletic, playing tennis and golf his whole life, in addition to riding. He skied every winter weekend from early November through the last run in April, for 18 years at Waterville Valley, with yearly trips out west, even though he did not like skiing. All to please his wife who appreciated the sacrifice. Ever the good sport, he participated in every activity his wife got involved in. He even rode “centuries” (100 hundred mile rides), sort of happily, on bike trips in Viet Nam, Cambodia and Italy.

He was a remarkable and talented photographer from his very early years, and reveled in his role on the Exeter Newspaper which came out twice a week and was a full time job. He had the rare ability to catch the perfect shot without being noticed. At sporting and school events or later at weddings and parties his work was always natural and unposed. For a while he taught photography and loved every minute.

He and his wife traveled extensively all over the world, returning often to East Africa, China, Japan, Italy, Spain, France, Russia, and the U.K. New York was a regular destination for all that city offered. Santa Fe was a yearly pilgrimage for opera and to be with his in laws. In recognition of his devotion to, and support of, the arts, and in particular the music and art of Spain, he was honored by King Juan Carlos I with the Knight Officer’s Royal Cross of the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic in 1982.

He was a member of the Kirtland Country Club, The Country Club in Brookline, the Somerset Club, and Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester, Vermont. He was among the longest serving Trustees at Boston Lyric Opera, and also served on the board of the New England Conservatory of Music. Always true to his love of all the arts, he was a decades-long subscriber to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Huntington Theatre, The Lyric Opera, and the American Repertory Theater. He was a long time Benefactor of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, serving on numerous Visiting Committees, over the years. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, June 2, 2023 at 11am in Church of the Redeemer, 379 Hammond St., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers he would be honored by contributions to the Boston Lyric Opera, New England Conservatory of Music, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, and The Huntington Theatre.

Obituary Photography courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.