Walter Edward Perry

HOLDEN – Walter Edward Perry, Sr., 100, passed away on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at Holden Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center after a brief illness. He spent the last few months of life as a resident of Tatnuck Park of Worcester. His recently celebrated 100th birthday was held there, with receptions hosted by the facility and his family. Officials from his beloved town of Holden presented him with momentos of the Boston Cane award to recognize him as “the oldest living resident in the town of Holden” upon reaching such a momentous milestone.



Born in West Warren in 1913, the son of Joseph and Minnie (Teagan) Perry, he spent most of his life residing in Holden. He was a product of the Holden school system and graduated from Holden High School in 1931. While there, he excelled in athletics and captained the Purple Terriers in football and basketball. One of his older brothers once remarked that he was an excellent baseball player, but spring chores took precedence to tend to his share of family responsibilities. He also loved to play tennis whenever time and place allowed. He later attended Northeastern University and enjoyed his engineering studies tremendously.



One historical event that had a profound impact on much of Walter’s life was living thru the Great Depression. We are positive that his extreme conservatism sprang from years of struggling to survive the long-lasting grip this bust of economy held on our country. A significant amount of economic recovery was hastened by WWII. Walter proudly served his country as an Army infantryman in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater and primarily saw action in campaigns throughout Italy. For his services, he received several ribbons and medals, and was honorably discharged in 1945.



Mr. Perry spent most of his working years in retail sales. His focus upon selling fine furniture and appliances began at McGuinness’s in downtown Worcester and ended in retirement in 1978 from Northbridge Furniture. Not one to be idle too long, he continued working part-time at Iandoli’s Market in Holden where he became reacquainted with old friends and neighbors while befriending many new co-workers and regular early-rising shoppers. As if this didn’t busy him enough, he always was the #1 volunteer with property maintenance projects at his son’s residences, as long as his meticulously maintained home and grounds didn’t demand his attention any further.



Walter believed in physical activity to keep him young. He loved to walk in autumn and winter. His sons’ friends were constantly relating incidences of seeing Mr. Perry briskly hoofing the major thoroughfares throughout town. Spring and summer months were dedicated to his vegetable garden. This bountiful little plot was the envy of the neighborhood and often was the “water cooler” of the Raymond Street/Virginia Hill Road neighborhood. He always made sure that what couldn’t be used by his family became part of a lucky neighbor’s mealtime, too. People often remarked about his boundless energy and witnessed him shoveling snow and raking leaves well into his nineties, yet he always found time to read a favorite mystery or historical novel on loan from the town library, which back in the day was his high school quarters. What little television he watched usually centered about sporting events of the local high schools and colleges, but he especially enjoyed rooting for the Wachusett Regional High School, Holy Cross College, the Sox, Celtics and Patriots.



When his wife finally retired, they traveled and vacationed at/with relatives from California to Florida and Bermuda. However, their love of the Northeast resulted in much of their time relaxing in the New England region with its’ beautiful lakes, sandy beaches and scenic mountains.



Spiritually, Mr. Perry was a member of the First Congregational Church of Holden, perhaps the organization that produced as much impact in his life was his association with the Holden Grange. Through this form of early networking, he met and courted Janet Elizabeth Powers whom he married in 1941. This fruitful union grew and lasted 65 years before her passing.



Walter is survived by his three sons and their spouses, Walter E. Perry, Jr. and his wife, Camille of Paxton, Allen Perry and his wife, Judith of Holden and Bradford Perry and his wife, Diane of Rutland. Grandchildren, who provided him with nearly five decades of joy and affection, plus scads of school activities to attend, include Rochelle and her husband, Daniel Webb of Reading, Aimee and her husband, Matthew Crockett of Jefferson, Melissa and her husband, David Johnson of Paxton, Brendan Perry and his wife, Lindsay of Rutland and Cassandra and her husband, Christopher Herlihy of Rutland. Grampa Perry attended as many club, high school and college extra curricula activities as possible. He was proud of all the graduation ceremonies he attended, because he saw education as a means of making their futures much more adaptable in a rapidly, ever-changing world. He also was proud to have been a revered guest at all of their wedding activities.



At the time of his passing, he was still trying to keep track of a still-expanding brood of fourteen great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister, Mary Ballou, brothers, Frank, John, Waldo (his twin) and Charles, and also by his first grandson, Joshua.



Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation period on Friday, November 1, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. followed by a memorial service with military honors at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. Burial will be private at a later date at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that contributions be sent to the Joshua Perry Memorial Childrens Fund c/o Leominster Credit Union, 715 Main St., Holden, MA 01520. To share a memory or to offer an online condolence, please sign the guestbook on this page.