July 9, 1922 – November 20, 2020 (age 98)
Ray Mortimer Perry was born July 9, 1922, in Cleveland, Idaho to Henry Ridges Perry and Eleanor Yates Perry. He passed away November 20, 2020, in Idaho Falls of causes incident to age.
Henry and Eleanor raised their family in Franklin County, Idaho near Grace, in an area variously known as Mound Valley, Cleveland, or Perry. With five sons and three daughters, they made a living handling sheep and a small dairy herd, along with growing hay and grain. Ray often rode to school on horseback, tying loyal Betsy to a tree where she remained until the return trip home.
Henry passed away in 1937, leaving the household without a father amidst the economic strains of the post-Great Depression years. Ray was fourteen at the time, and as his widowed mother struggled to keep the household finances together, Ray was sent to live nearby with an uncle. Earning his keep by toiling on his uncle’s farm, he learned the value of a hard day’s work at a young age.
Ray joined the U.S. Army and fought for his country in the European theater in World War II. As a member of the 265th Field Artillery Battalion, he served as a forward radioman after landing on Utah Beach in the invasion of France in 1944. He attained the rank of sergeant, which Ray attributed in part to his superior officer’s appreciation of his experience as a country boy.
After returning from the war, Ray drove a gasoline tanker truck based out of Star Valley, Wyoming, being employed by Reuel Call, founder of Maverik Stores.
In Star Valley, he also met his future wife, Dena Chadwick, whom he married in 1947. As they began their life and family together, they resided in Pocatello for a time before moving north to the Idaho Falls area. Settling in Osgood for seven years, Ray and Dena gave their children the opportunity to learn valuable life skills both on their Osgood farm, and later as they relocated to a small acreage in Ammon. Ray taught the boys to drive trucks, cars and operate farm equipment, sometimes as early as age nine or ten. A variety of small animals would share their little barnyard from time to time, but first and foremost Ray had a lifelong passion for horses.
For a time in his adulthood, Ray participated in rodeo as a calf roper and was instrumental in the founding of cutter/chariot horse racing in Bonneville County. He trained racehorses off and on for many years, including owning two 1988 winning racers on the local circuit: Tracey’s Wrangler and Viva Le Idaho.
In 1957, Ray began his career as a bus driver for the INL. He earned a safety award for having accumulated over a million accident-free miles on the daily trek to and from the desert, retiring after thirty years behind the wheel of a bus.
Ray and his first wife, Dena, divorced in 1970, and he was later married for several years to the former June Clark Tanner.
He shared his enjoyment of the outdoors with others through hunting, fishing, and camping. He could be found performing his Indian rain dance around the campfire, yodeling, or playing a few bars on the harmonica and sharing his philosophical view: “I love life and it loves me”.
He gained many friends throughout his life, with most of his horse-riding pals having preceded him on that final trail drive into the sunset. After moving to Lincoln Court Retirement Center in 2015, Ray’s winning personality continued to earn him new friends among staff and residents alike, known to many there as “The Cowboy”, and to others as “The Silver Fox”.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers: Yates, Stan, Wayne, and Lyman Perry; sisters: Emma Eames and Hilda Fisher. He is survived by his sister, Florence Greaves of Logan, Utah; first wife, Dena Stephens of Idaho Falls, Idaho; and all of their children: DeRay (Carol), Allen aka Twig (Marilyn) and Jeff (Sally) Perry of Idaho Falls, Idaho; Teresa (Harrison) Cox of Shelley, Idaho; Kevin (Kelly) Perry of Bay City, Texas, and Doug (Candice) Perry of Kailua Kona, Hawaii; 14 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren. His later years were made lighter through the care and attention of his frequent companion, Ella Clark.
The family expresses their appreciation to the staff of Lincoln Court Retirement Center for their years of care and compassion, the Veterans Administration, and One Source Hospice.
His final resting place will be in the family plot in Grace, Idaho, with a gathering at a later date.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at Coltrin Mortuary.