Tribute to ‘amazing’ councillor and dad
Burnham: Much-loved parish councillor Perry Davies has died
Tributes have poured in for a much-loved Burnham parish councillor who passed away at the age of 61 after contracting COVID-19.
Cllr Perry Davies passed away on Friday in Torrevieja, Spain.
Perry came to live in Burnham at the age of four, attending St Peter’s School and later Burnham Secondary School.
His career saw him serve as a PSCO and Special Constable at Thames Valley Police in the late seventies and ran family business Burnham Deli alongside his parents for a spell in the eighties.
In 2000, he became the managing director of Abbey Windows and Conservatories Ltd, up until two years ago when he handed it over to his business
partner so he could spend more time in Spain.
Perry, who lived with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for ‘a number of years’, met his wife Joy in September 1989 and they married 16 months ago, 30 years since they met.
In February 2020, the pair went to Spain for a four-week holiday, but due to Perry's COPD and the start of the pandemic, he was unable to fly back and they spent the last year living in Spain.
He was elected as a Burnham parish councillor in May 1999.
Following the rebuild of Burnham Park Hall in 2009, Perry took forward his vision to make the hall the ‘hub of the community’ and, together with the hall’s general manager, Louise Hayday, spent years transforming it.
Joy said: “Spain was just one of Perry’s many great passions and living here for the last year has been one of the happiest years of our lives.
“He dealt with his illness and disability with great fortitude and sheer bloodymindedness, refusing to ever let it get in the way of anything he put his mind to. He will be very greatly missed by me and our family.”
Remembering her step dad, Laura Simmonds, said: “Perry
was an amazing step dad to me. I have so many lovely memories of Perry – we travelled the world on cruise ships, his passion for good food, good restaurants and real ale, and also his love of sailing and F1.
“He was a fantastic step father and grandfather to Nathan, Kian and Billy who absolutely adored him.”
Cllr Marie Hammon, chairman of Burnham Parish Council,
said: “He was a wonderful man and an amazing councillor.”
She added: “The amazing thing about Perry is that he has influenced everybody, he has improved everybody’s lives. He has gone into everybody’s lives and just been there, he’s our rock.”
Burnham Parish Council is seeking ideas for ways to commemorate Perry.
Visit burnhamparish.gov.uk to get in touch.