Obituary of David Lee Perry

Lt. Colonel, DAVID LEE PERRY, US Army Retired, died peacefully at home on October 12, 2018, in Post Falls, Idaho, at the age of 87 years. 

David was born August 19, 1931, in the small village of Marion, Michigan, to recently divorced parents, Bessie (Fisher) and Barney Perry.  He had three siblings, two older sisters, Francis and Joyce Perry, and a younger step-brother, Michael Curvin.  His father was not involved in his life and lived in Tennessee with his sisters.  His mother provided for him during the Great Depression; however, she passed away when he was 16 years old.  A close family friend known as “Aunt Alice” provided for him until he completed school.  All have predeceased him.

David graduated from Flint Technical High School in 1949.  Three days after graduation, at the age of 17 years, he enlisted in the US Army.  He trained as a Radar Repairman at Fort Bliss and was then sent to Panama.  He was selected for Officers Candidate School with 172 other candidates.  In April 1952, at 20 years old, he was one out of 52 candidates that graduated OCS.  In September 1952, he applied for and was accepted into West Point.  In 1953 he resigned West Point to marry his childhood sweetheart, Vernadene May Hahn (d.  2014).  (FYI:  General Norman Schwarzkopf was in his West Point class.)

Together he and Vernadene had five children, David Perry Jr. (El Paso, TX), Linda VanZomeren (d. 2010), Julie Perry (d. 1962), Susan Poulsen (Spirit Lake, ID), Scott Perry (Spokane, WA).  

In 1962, while in Germany, daughter Julie was diagnosed with leukemia and the family returned stateside, where she passed away in December.  During this year he was assigned to Fifth Army HQ in Chicago and was actively involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the funeral plans for President Herbert Hoover.  He was sent to Vietnam in 1965 to assist in developing a special Task Force to control major US and Allied units being sent into Vietnam.  When he returned to the states, he was promoted to Lt. Colonel.

In 1969, he accepted his final military assignment in Taiwan as the MAAG Advisor to President Chaung Kai Chek.  In this position he was advisor to the President of the Republic of China, the National War College, the Military Service’s Colleges, and the staff of the Ministry of National Defense.  He retired from the Army June 1971.

He retired to El Paso, Texas, and worked for Kmart for 10 years managing their appliance department, ultimately earning the distinction of being the #1 volume appliance department store in the entire United States.  In 1981 he fully retired and moved to Post Falls, Idaho.

Since he fully retired, he enjoyed traveling around the USA in a motorhome with his wife, being active in the Church of the Nazarene, and enjoying his family and living in Idaho.  The last four years he went traveling with his daughter Susan, and went to Beijing, Mexico, Germany, and toured the coast of Maine, among many other travels.  David’s love of life has been shared with all who knew and loved him, and his family and friends enjoyed the many, many stories he has shared over the years.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2pm on Friday, November 2, 2018, at Bell Tower Funeral Home,  3398 E Jenalan Ave, Post Falls, ID 83854.  A pie reception to follow – David loved pie!

All are welcome to attend and celebrate David’s life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of North Idaho or Alzheimer’s Association of Coeur d’Alene.  The family would like to thank the Caregivers at KMC and Hospice for their compassion, care, and dedication.