Perry, John E.

The world got a little quieter, with less laughter and love, when John Perry died Monday, April 26, 2021. The longtime resident of Dunedin, Fla., was 64. Visitation is planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 3, at Curlew Hills Memory Gardens in Palm Harbor, Fla. A funeral service is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 4, also at Curlew Hills. It will be livestreamed. Interment follows. John Edward Perry was born Dec. 4, 1957, in Willimantic, Ct., the son of Marilyn (Rainey) and John S. Perry Jr. He grew up in Waterford and Tolland, Ct. John was a baseball catcher as a kid. His many friends would not be surprised to know that he was good at it, managing every game with strong voice and quick throws, displaying a swagger that let everyone know who was in charge. He graduated from Tolland High School in 1976. John worked for many years as a pressman, learning the craft and eventually operating high-end, multi-color web- and sheet-fed presses at Allied Printing in Manchester, Ct. until 1995 when he and his wife moved to Dunedin, Florida. Instead, John became a licensed horticulturist through PTEC in Florida, and spent many years as a self-employed, high-quality landscaper. He also improved family properties in and around Dunedin. John met Heather Sommers at Allied. They were together many years before marrying Jan. 18, 1992, in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. They built a life in Dunedin, caring for a beautiful home along a Gulf Coast canal, and celebrating life with so many friends near and far. John never met a stranger; everyone was his friend, immediately. He was funny, witty, gregarious, smart, caring and generous with all, touching countless lives ... and always marching to his own beat. It might have been the beat of the Rolling Stones, his favorite rock 'n' roll band. John would wear his red suede shoes or snakeskin boots to see the Stones whenever possible. He loved live music, with a taste for jazz; blues, and good old rock "n" roll. The Rolling Stones as a favorite, Stevie Ray Vaughn and the tunes of Jeffrey Pitchell and Texas Flood. John loved to travel, play a little golf, and dance. He enjoyed NASCAR, baseball, and betting on pro football. John loved to gamble, and spend time in casinos. He loved Heather, all his friends and family, and life. John squeezed every drop from it. Everyone's got a story, or 2, about John Perry. Survivors are his wife, Heather E. Perry of Dunedin; his parents, Marilyn Kuhnly and husband Jerry of Tolland, and John S. Perry Jr., and partner Charlotte of Tarpon Springs, Fla.; 2 brothers, Steve and his daughter Alycia of Tolland and Dave and wife Lisa of Oro Valley, Az.; his mother-in-law, Betina M. Sommers of Connecticut; nephews and nieces Ryan Perry of Newport, Ore.; Quinn Perry and her husband Luke Hayhurst of Boise, Idaho; John G. Sommers Jr. and wife Emily, Rachel and husband Marc Ash, and Matthew Sommers and partner Phraewa Thatphet of Boston; sister-in-law Elizabeth Konney Sommers, Nathan Sommers and wife Nina, and Bettina and husband Ryan Ward of Connecticut; and special friend Robert Rozonics of Dunedin as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. John was preceded in death by his father-in-law, John F. Sommers, and 2 brothersin-law, Gerald F. Sommers and John G. Sommers. Share memories at curlewhills.com.