Richard Odell Perry

PHOENIX – Richard Odell Perry passed away on July 7, 2020 from COVID-19, just 12 days from his 90th birthday. He was born in 1930 in Phoenix, Arizona to Richard and Mildred Perry and was raised in Gibbon, Nebraska. He excelled in sports, playing basketball and football in high school. He attended college briefly before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. After discharge, Richard returned to Nebraska. At a summer picnic he met and fell in love with the beautiful red-headed Karen Lou Hagarity. They married six months later and created a family of three sons and a daughter.

Richard spent his career with the Hormel Foods Corporation. He began in the Fremont, Nebraska meatpacking plant as a night watchman. He was soon promoted to a sales position where his talents would be fully utilized. Richard’s natural ease with people, his sense of humor and his desire to make a good life for his family all contributed to his success as a salesman and sales manager. His Hormel career took the family to Denver, Albuquerque, Houston, Philadelphia and finally, to Austin, Minnesota where he became Regional Sales Manager for Minnesota and the Dakotas. In 1975, he moved back to Phoenix to become District Sales Manager for Arizona, the position from which he retired in 1993.

In addition to being devoted to his family, Richard had many creative outlets. He was an excellent golfer, loved boating and was an especially avid photographer. He will be remembered as always having a camera in hand, ready to take candid photos of family and friends. He was also known for taking stunning images of landscapes and wildlife.

Richard is survived by his wife of 67 years, Karen Lou Hagarity Perry, his four adult children, David Perry and his wife Carolyn of Paducah, KY, Lisa Yoder and her husband Larry Yoder of San Diego, CA, Mark Perry and his wife Patricia of San Diego, CA and Clark Perry and his wife Leslie of Porter Ranch, CA; grandchildren, Emily West and her husband Austin West of Colorado Springs, CO, Matthew Perry of Paducah, KY, Rachel Perry of Lincoln, NE, Megan Perry of San Diego, CA and Jenna Perry of Porter Ranch, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred and Darral Marquis of Gibbon, NE.

The family requests that expressions of sympathy be made to the Mayo Clinic. Visit hansenmortuary.com for online condolences.