John Wallace Perry's Obituary
Celebration of Life 10:00am, September 22, 2008, Wildwood Chapel Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, 13005 Greenville Ave, Dallas. Private interment following memorial celebration. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Red Cross. John Wallace Perry, attorney, pilot, collector and loving husband and father passed away quietly Friday, September 12, 2008 in Dallas at age 93. John was born November 6, 1914 in Syracuse, New York and grew up in Darien, Connecticut, the only child of Maude Edith Gallinger and Fred M. Perry. He attended grammar and high schools in New York State. After two years at Fordham University he attained his Law degree from New York Law School receiving highest honors in Taxation and holding membership in the Debating class. He was inducted into the United States Army in April 1942 and served as a law clerk in the First Cavalry Division under the Office of the Judge Advocate Headquarters of the Third Army, at both Fort Bliss and Fort Sam Houston in Texas. In 1953 he flew for the Civil Defense Air Patrol. Having been employed briefly as a law clerk by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company prior to his military service he returned to the company after the war and was employed there until his retirement in 1979 as Group Manager of Southwest Division Life. While stationed in San Antonio in 1944 he met the love of his life, Imogene O’Dell, to whom he was married for over 63 years. Living in the same house in Dallas for over 50 years he piloted his own Cessna 170 aircraft, drove his silver-blue 1957 Corvette for almost 50 years and served as an active member of the Cadillac LaSalle Club, the Texas Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Corvette Club of Texas for which he was president in 1961 through 1962. John was steadfast, loyal and fun-loving. The family would like to thank their many friends for their love and concern. Survivors: Wife Imogene O’Dell Perry, daughter Dell Stephanie Perry, daughter Daphne Dawn Perry Gunderson and husband Mark; and grandson Seann William Perry.
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