Samuel Clyde Perry

Samuel Clyde Perry, age 75, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Topsail Island, North Carolina on September 13, 2022. He is survived by his wife and best friend of 50 years, Judy Janeway Perry; sister, Rebecca Perry, children, Bonnie Burns, Suzanne Wright (husband John Wright) and Patrick Perry (wife Susannah Hall Perry), grandchildren John Thomas Wright, Kate Wright, Kelly Burns Gentry, Abigail Perry and great granddaughter, Hadley Lynn Gentry. He is preceded in death by his parents. Sam was born on March 30th, 1947. He was baptized at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in 1947 and after being raised in Florida, returned to Tennessee in 1970 and has been a member of the Cedar Springs congregation for over 50 years. Sam Perry lived his life with an energy and sense of adventure that was one of the greatest gifts he shared with everyone in his life. From an early age, Sam loved the water more than anywhere. Whether he was skiing on homemade skis on the Hillsboro River in Florida or fishing in the backwater of the Intercoastal in North Carolina, he was happiest near water. Sam loved to travel and he was never without his wife, Judy, who first took his breath away on a blind date in 1971. His “Judy Bug”, as he lovingly called her, was his constant companion and the love of his life. Together they raised their family as their adventures took them all over the country. A member of the Fort Loudon Yacht Club in Knoxville, TN since 1974, Sam raised his family with the same love of the water as they made a lifetime of memories on their boat, the Perradise. Sam’s laugh was unmistakable and his face would light up with joy as he would share stories of their adventures. It was a joy that his children have carried on with their own families and friends. Friends quickly became family to Sam and he and Judy loved to open their homes to everyone they held dear. Sam worked as a Landscape Architect for TVA for 30 years (and one day…) building a career centered on the geography that inspired him. His reverence for nature was clear in the love he had for the Perry family’s home in West Knoxville overlooking the beautiful Tennessee River. For over 20 years, families in Knoxville would come to the Christmas Tree Farm on the Perry property to search for and cut down their perfect tree. Through out the rest of the year, Sam would spend hours just puttering about in the woods. Sam Perry leaves behind a legacy of a life well and fully lived. He will be remembered for his quick wit, kind heart, boisterous laugh and the generous spirit that was the undercurrent of his entire life. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Sam can be made to St. Jude’s or your favorite charity. Funeral service will be held 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 19, Rose Funeral and Cremation, Mann Chapel; Rev. Clay Harrington officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 p.m., preceding the service. Graveside service will be held Tuesday, September 20, 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Harmony Cemetery, Strawberry Plains Pike. On-line condolences may be extended at www.rosefuneraltn.

Tributes

Samuel Clyde Perry

March 30, 1947 - September 13, 2022