Eugene W Perry

Eugene (Gene) Whitman Perry, 95, of Adelphi, MD, passed away on January 16, 2018 at his home. He was born in Springhope, NC to the late Samuel L. Perry and Zula Jane Perry. He was the tenth child of eleven. Upon graduating from high school, he moved to Washington, D.C., later enlisting in the Army in 1942. He met and married Myrtle E. Winstead in 1944. During his military service, he traveled to the Solomons and Pacific Arenas, Bougainville and Luzon. He returned to the States, and was honorably discharged in 1946. At this time, they moved to Prince George's County and started a family. They had three children: Beth, Robert, and Jennifer. He continued his career in communications with Western Electric, later changing jobs to the U.S. Government, Naval Research Weapons Center in White Oak, MD. With his expertise in the electronics field, he had a full and long career, retiring in the 1980's. He and his family were members of the Hillandale Baptist Church and he was baptized in 1955. As a family, many vacations included trips south to see family and to the coast. As empty-nesters, he and his wife traveled frequently to the Caribbean, enjoying many of the islands.

He was predeceased by his parents, five brothers: Wade, Webster, (infant) Robert, Stanley, and Jack Perry, and five sisters: Victoria Allen, Nova May, Lucille Berns, Sylvia Whipp, and Elsie McKinnon. He was also predeceased in 1995 by his wife of fifty years, Myrtle E. Perry, and in 2015 by ex-son-in-law, Joseph K. Neuland of Owings. More recently, by his youngest daughter, Jennifer L. Perry of St. Leonard, MD in 2017. He is survived by his eldest daughter Gene Elizabeth "Beth" Neuland of Lusby, son Robert Whitman Perry of Bethesda, and an ex-son-in-law, Shannon Humphreys of Port Republic. Also surviving are his grandchildren Patrick Eugene Neuland and his wife Lisa of Hagerstown, and Tifanni April East and her husband David of St. Leonard; five great-grandchildren, Jessica Ashley, Andrew Patrick, and Timothy Joseph Neuland of Hagerstown and Lilly Elizabeth and Logan Michael East of St. Leonard. Last but not least, he is survived by his long time friend and companion, Sharon Leaman of Columbia, MD.

His love of family, genealogy, history, writing, electronics, the outdoors, gardening, yard work, and especially fishing, was surely passed on to his family. He was very strong-willed, independent, firm yet loving, a good man, and will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.