DL Capt. Donald H. Perry

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF, Vietnam war veteran, DL Capt. Donald H. Perry

March 8, 1947 ~ April 10, 2015

 

News has reached us with the passing of retired Delta pilot Captain Donald H. Perry, age 68.  Following a distinguished military career, Captain Perry joined Delta Air Lines 08-16-1990 and retired with Delta in 2004, based CVG.  He is survived by his wife Alice, their children and grandchildren. 

To view the online obituary please visit the funeral home website at http://ecnurre.com/obituaries/details.asp?id=3421  Personal condolences may be sent to the Perry family at 3677 HOPPER RIDGE RD. , CINCINNATI, OHIO 45255-5064  ...  (513) 753-3778.  Arrangements were entrusted to E.C. Nurre Funeral Home of Amelia, Ohio.  Visitation and services for Captain Perry were held yesterday April 14th in Ohio. 

            Thank you,

                ~ Carol for the PCN 

.........................................Obituary..............................

Donald H. Perry, resident of Pierce Township, Clermont County, passed away at his home at the age of 68. He was born on March 8th, 1947 in Lodi, Ohio to Anne Strandborg Perry and the late Harold H. Perry, the older brother of Lawrence H. Perry. Harold and Anne raised Don and Larry in New London, Ohio from their home on S. Clifton Street, and Don graduated from New London High School in 1965. While in High School Don was the class President for Junior year, achieved the Honor Roll all four years, played Football and Track, attended Boy’s State, was in Thespian and Honor Society, and played Trombone in the Marching, Concert, Dance, and Symphonic Band. Little did he know at the time, but the pretty little trombone player in the seat next to him, Alice T. Reid of Fitchville, Ohio would go on to eventually be his wife and mother to his three children.

 

From New London High School, Don went to Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University) to study Chemical Engineering and joined the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. During the summer break after his Freshman year, Don took Alice on their first date up to Put-In-Bay on Lake Erie, Ohio. He must have made a good impression, because after two years of dating between Cleveland and Elyria, where Alice was in Nursing School, she agreed to marry the “poor college bum”. During his Junior year at Case, Don met his other life-long love when he started flying lessons. He was coaxed out of the cockpit long enough to finish his classes and graduated in January of 1970, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the USAF.

 

Don began his Air Force career at Columbus AFB in Mississippi where he finished pilot training, and was promptly deployed to Vietnam to fly the A-37B, Dragonfly from Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. Over the one-year tour, Don flew over 400 hours of combat missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross four times and 16 Air Medals. Don returned from Vietnam to a variety of flying assignments including the O-2A, A-7D, A-10, and AT-38. He was stationed in Alabama, Arizona, California, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Virginia in the United States as well as the Panama Canal Zone and South Korea abroad. Ultimately he was promoted to Major, and in 1990 he retired with twenty years of service. Not to be kept on the ground for long, Don was hired by Delta Airlines and continued his aviation career for another 14 years. He was a flight engineer, first officer, and captain in the MD-88, B-737, B-757, and B-767ER out of the hub in Cincinnati, OH.

 

Don was a loving husband and is survived by his wife of 46 years, Alice T. Perry of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a devoted son to his surviving mother Anne Perry, and is preceded in death by his father Harold Perry. He was a close friend and loving brother and is survived by Larry Perry of Orlando, Florida, along with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He was a wonderful father to three children: Donald K. Perry is currently following in his father’s footsteps as an Air Force Officer and Pilot in Little Rock, Arkansas; Robin L. Hume is working as a Director of Regulatory Affairs for Jazz Pharmaceuticals currently in Brooklyn, New York; and Kevin A. Perry is an Operations Analyst for Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. Lastly, it is on very good authority that he was an amazing grandfather to four surviving grandchildren: Perry I. Hume and Madelene G. Hume from New York along with Darren N. Perry and Audrey D. Perry from Texas who will all miss their grandfather very much.

 

There will be a memorial ceremony for family and friends at 11:00am until time of memorial service at 11:30am on Tuesday, April 14th at E.C. Nurre Funeral Home, 177 West Main Street, Amelia, Ohio 45102. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, anyone interested in making donations may do so by contacting the charity of their choice.

 

--------------------------------------------------
> From: Anthony Anderson [ mailto:stihl@fuse.net ]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 5:38 PM
> Subject: Passing of Don Perry CVG ret.
>
> I attended Don Perry's funeral today in Cincinnati. He retired from Delta in 2004............Don Perry....................
> 3677 Hopper Ridge Rd
> Cinci 45255
> Could you pass it on to any agencies within DALPA that might need to know.
> Tony Anderson
> 484964 cvg