John D. Perrey passed from this life at age 84, in the comfort of his home, tended to by loving family members. John was one of the friendliest people to ever walk this life. He was always quick to compliment and slow to criticize. He loved his family, he loved his friends, he loved a good joke & to laugh, he loved music, golf and his workshop, but most importantly, he loved the Lord.

John was the eldest of three, a loving husband, the father of three adoring children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren with another on the way. Survived by his Wife Jerre of 63 years, Son John Perrey, Jr. (Skip) & Wife Shiela, Daughter Jennifer Kutscher, Daughter Jill LeBlanc & Husband Charlie; Grandchildren: Ryan (& Brenna) Perrey, Rachel (& Chris) Durgin, Ricky (& Lindsey) Kutscher, Nikki Hopkins, Kristina Kutscher, Camille (& Doug) Fowler and Cherrie LeBlanc; Great Grandchildren: Taylor Hopkins (Nikki), Kingston Fowler (Camille) and Thatcher Perrey Kutscher (Ricky) coming in August 2011; Brother F. D. (Bud) Perrey & Wife Pat of Goodland, KS and Sister Marilyn Torrence of Lebanon, MO.

He was preceded in death by his Mother, Lillian Sprague Perrey in 1945, his Father Elmer Franklin Perrey in 1990, Brother-in-law Lou Torrence in 1994, Nephew Mike Torrence in 1996 and Grandson Beau Charles LeBlanc in 2009.

John was born and grew up in Lebanon, MO. He was rich in friends – one reason is that his father owned an ice cream shop in the 1930’s, “Ozark Pride,” where they made some of the best chocolate, & vanilla ice cream around! He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1944 and attended one semester at the MU Rolla School of Mines before being drafted into the Army. He proudly served our country from 1945-47 in the Philippines, and later finished his Business degree at Drury College and SMS University in 1950. On May 21, 1948, John married his high-school sweetheart, Jerre Maxine Turk. They were married eight years before being blessed with “year-apart triplets,” Skip, Jenne & Jill.

He & Jerre both faithfully served several years in his father’s Firestone store in Lebanon before moving to St. Louis in 1967 to begin a career in the commercial trucking insurance industry as a claims adjuster. There he made many life-long relationships and helped to mentor several young men that were coming up in the ranks, teaching them integrity in the business world. In 1990 John took semi-retirement and moved with Jerre to Lake of the Ozarks where they fully rehabbed “The Cabin” that Jerre’s folks built back in 1955, which had been the location of many fond family memories through the years. Then in 1999 they moved again as he fully retired from insurance adjusting, this time to Springfield, MO where there were many close friends and a good hospital, as medical issues began to become more frequent. During their 7-year stay there, John & Jerre enjoyed “the good life” as they frequented dinners with relatives & friends, and occasional visits from the children & grandchildren. John’s workshop thrived even more as he spent many hours making fun items such as birdhouses, garden planters, bookshelves, and fancy tables that Jerre would find in a magazine (which he would reproduce by studying the picture!). He would also enjoy a weekly golf outing with three high school buddies, regular workouts at the fitness center, a part-time security job at the local country club, and serving faithfully at Brentwood First Christian Church there in Springfield.

2006 found the Perreys making the return move to the St. Louis area to be near their daughters, as they came to the rude awakening that Father Time was finally catching up with them. Less than one week into that move, John was back in the hospital with heart issues, which is where it was discovered that he had multiple myeloma, along with his already numerous heart/vascular issues. And if that wasn’t enough, John was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which mostly became active in the last year of his life.

We will greatly miss this wonderful man, but are blessed knowing that he is free of his weak, ailing body and reunited with loved ones who have gone before, along with meeting his Savior face to face.