Donald Perry

Donald Dewayne Perry, age 88, of Versailles, Illinois was born in Mt. Sterling, Illinois to Guy E. and Allena B. Smith Perry on May 20, 1931 and passed away at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois on March 7, 2020 with family at his side. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son, Douglas A. Perry, two great grandsons, Joshua and Christopher Perry and their mother, Kayla Perry, a sister Joann Bedwell, brother-in-law Wayne Bridgewater, step-father Harvey Phillips, step-brother David Phillips and his in-laws Claude Bridgewater and Allen and Fern Bridgewater Thoroman.  

Don met Ruth Bridgewater in 1955 and they married on October 5, 1957.   She survives at home. 

He is survived by two sons, Dan Perry (Jan) of Paloma, Illinois and Greg Perry of Versailles, Illinois.  Three grandchildren Heather Streit (Brian) and Blake Perry of Jacksonville, Illinois and April Brown (Noellen) of Apple Valley, Minnesota.  A step-grandson Brad Krutmeier (Cheyenne) of Camp Point, Illinois. Great grandson Dylan Streit of Jacksonville, Illinois , two step grandchildren Lane and Landry Krutmeier of Camp Point, Illinois, a very special lady in his life, Christy Horton of Ipava, Illinois, cousins, nieces and nephews, a step sister Mary Gordley (Gene) of Griggsville, Illinois, brother-in-law Wade Bedwell of Blandinsville, Illinois, sister-in-law Trudy Bridgewater of Chapin, Illinois and friend Linda Robson of Jacksonville, Illinois.

Don served in the United States Marine Corp from 1951 until 1953 at various camps, ending at Camp Pendleton, California with the engineers and was honorably discharged from there. 

He worked for Mt. Sterling Township and Mt. Sterling Creamery where he made ice cream.  He transferred to Prairie Farms Dairy in Quincy, working for a total of 43 years, retiring in 1997. 

Don dearly loved his family and friends, hunting, fishing, mushrooming and the St. Louis Cardinals.  He was a jack-of-all-trades and a good, kind man to all.  

He joined the Presbyterian Church when he was 8 years old, was a member of Teamsters Local 916 and 688, the Mt. Sterling American Legion Post #374 and the Farm Bureau.   

One of the greatest honors of his life was flying to Washington D.C. on September 26, 2013 on the Great River Honor Flight for veterans. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 10, 2020 in the Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling with Rev. Richard Young officiating.

Burial will follow in the Versailles West Side Cemetery.  A military service will be conducted at the graveside by the Mt. Sterling American Legion Post #374.

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services on Tuesday at the funeral home. 

Memorials are suggested to the Great River Honor Flight or to Parkinson's Foundation to honor his sister. 

Condolences for the family may be left on line at www.hendrickerfuneralhome.com. 

The Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling is assisting the family with the arrangements. 

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