Richard E. Perry

SOUTH CHATHAM/WORCESTER - It is with deep and heavy sadness that we announce the death of Richard “Dickie” Perry, of South Chatham who passed on Tuesday, December 2, 2015 in St. Vincent Hospital. Dickie grew up in Leicester and Worcester, and was preceded in death by his generous and loving parents Albertine (Renaud) and Leo Perry. Dickie was the oldest of five kids. His brother Robert “Bob” Perry and sisters Nancy Courville, Diane Borci (predeceased) and Christine Demars, absolutely adored their shy, handsome brother and Dickie was fiercely protective of them. They were also the recipients of the practical jokes he never outgrew playing on the unsuspecting. Whether it was swiping his sister’s bike basket for his fish or hiding his grandson’s stuffed puppy, Dickie lived for a good prank. Dickie loved the solitude of fishing and being outdoors. It was these two desires that earned him the title “Nature Boy” in his high school yearbook. Following his 1951 graduation from Leicester High, Dickie joined the Navy and served honorably from 1952-1956. A man of few sentimental words, Dickie poured his inner most thoughts into the letters he wrote to his family. He had a true gift in the written word and penmanship reserved for the romantic. Those letters exist today and his wife takes comfort in the words from her true love. 42 years ago he married the love of his life, Nelly Meranger. Theirs is a love story like no other. Meeting when he was in the Navy in 1953, Dickie never forgot the French girl who could barely speak English. When their first marriages ended, Dickie and Nelly reconnected in 1969 and after 3 years of courtship, married on February 4, 1973 in Provincetown. That same year they moved to South Chatham, fulfilling their dream to make their home on Cape Cod. After many years of commercial fishing and roofing for Leominster based Rockwell Roofing, Dickie started his own business, Dicks Home Remodeling. For the next 35 years he built a solid reputation through word of mouth and never lacked work at a time when many could not find it. He was so creative and always thought of how to make every home space practical as well as beautiful. Whether it was a remodel or new construction, he put his heart into making every customer happy.Dickie dearly loved his 5 children – Pierrette Cooke; husband Dana, Marc Barton; wife Keri, David Perry; wife Renee, Kandi Perry Elie; husband Jim, and Staci Perry Johnson; husband Rob. He taught them to fish, to select a quality hammer, to love nature, and to be thankful. He also took extreme pride in his 12 grandchildren Jason, Rachel, Chloe, Claire, Connor, Jacob, Sam, Spencer, Sawyer, David, Conrad and Hope. Dickie was loved by his many nieces and nephews, and it was such a special blessing that Wendy and her husband Bill could be with him in his final moments.Dickie officially retired in 2010. He filled his days with fishing, tending to his birdfeeders, quahauging, and visiting his multitude of friends. In the summer of 2013 he was able to check one off his bucket list - his first and only visit to Fenway Park and it was a perfect blue sky day. He remarked that he didn’t feel 80 but rather 8 on that fine day. He loved watching the Pats and everything on the Western Channel. He was a good man and he lived a great life.The Family would like to thank Kathy Twombly, Oakdale Rehabilitation and the ICU team at St. Vincent’s Hospital for their compassionate care of Dickie.Dickie’s Life Celebration will be held at Miles Funeral Home and Tribute Center, 100 Worcester Road, Sterling on Saturday, December 12, 2015 from 2-5 p.m. Friends and Family are asked to come and share their own “Dickie” story. In lieu of flowers, Dickie would hope that that you will do an unsolicited and unexpected act of kindness in his name. To share a memory or leave an online condolence please visit our "Guest Book" on this page