Howard Louis Perry
Howard Louis Perry, age 89, was called to his heavenly home on July 12, 2025. Howard was a son, a younger brother, an older brother, a husband, a veteran, a proud father and grandfather, an educator, and an entrepreneur.
He was the son of the late Lawrence Perry, Sr and Doreen Melvin Perry and was born in Rocky Mount, NC in 1936. In the 1940s he moved to Roanoke where he graduated from Jefferson High School in 1954. During high school he worked at the Clover Creamery selling ice cream where he became addicted to vanilla ice cream.
In 1956, he moved to Chicago and enrolled in the American Conservatory of Music and took voice lessons from Francis Ernest while working part time jobs. While there he won a singing contest for having the best solo voice, which led to an audition with Rudoff Bing, the Director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Instead, in 1958 he returned to Roanoke “to marry the most beautiful girl he ever met” and “the love of his life”, his high school sweetheart, the late Rowena Puckett Perry. They were married for 60 years.
In June of 1958, he was drafted into the US Army. His gifted Irish-Tenor singing voice served him well again and allowed him to audition and be selected to travel with the US Army Chorus throughout the United States. As part of the military chorus, he also performed at various venues where he met “The Three Stooges”, calling them “the most impressive people I’ve ever met” because they were hilarious even when they performed in the rain in Philadelphia. In 1960 he appeared on CBS’s “The Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour” television show in New York, where he sang in a competition. He didn’t win, but he won the hearts of many in the Roanoke Valley, and perhaps nationwide.
Howard earned his BA degree and Masters’s Degree at Virginia Professional Institute (now VCU). During this time, he taught at various academic institutions in the south. Howard and his wife Rowena even traveled West to California with a camper, exploring the various US national parks where they did much camping, hiking, and fishing.
Howard earned his doctorate in education in 1979, the first in the family. When he was granted that academic title, he immediately called Rowena collect, and the operator asked, “Will you accept a call from Dr. Perry?” To which she responded, “With pleasure!” Howard left the field of education and worked as an entrepreneur during the last half of his life. As an entrepreneur, his hard work, honesty, integrity, work ethic, perseverance and caring for his family never faltered.
Howard is preceded in death by his wife, Rowena Puckett Perry, and older brothers and their spouses Lawrence (Joanne) and George (Doris), and an infant sister Dorothy Ann. He is also preceded in death by his brothers-in-law Jack Englert, Daniel Puckett, and Conrad Mooney, and sisters-in-law Alma Puckett, Frances Puckett, and Johanna Perry.
Howard is survived by his two sons and their wives, Howard Jr. (Luz Elena), and Jay (Jennifer), as well as his grandchildren Jacob and Alexa Perry, and Javi Molina. He is survived by his two younger siblings, his sister, Betty Englert and brother James Perry. Betty often played the piano at family reunions where he sang with his late older brothers George Perry and Lawrence (Larry) Perry. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Shirley Mooney.
Howard will be missed by many nephews and nieces, who enjoyed listening to his singing and storytelling at family reunions.
The family will miss walks with Howard at the Davis & McDaniel Veterans Care Center in Salem, Va., where he received excellent care. Thanks to Good Samaritan Hospice for helping him in his final days.
Howard was a proud American, voted in every election, and lived the American life. He was proud of his entire family and what they accomplished.
A celebration of his life will be held at Lotz Funeral Home in Salem, Va on Friday, July 18, 2025. Visitation will begin at 10 am, followed by the service at 11 am. Burial will follow at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem, Va.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Breakthrough T1D, formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, at www.breakthrought1d.org, or the Epilepsy Foundation at www.epilepsy.com.
