Perry was my nephew. I loved him very much. He was always telling jokes.
I miss him very much.
Today was my birthday and his mother's birthday. My birthday is also today. I was born on her birthday, January 19th.
Perry was a special person. Very creative and talented.
I think you might be looking down at your mom and me since it is our birthdays.
All my love Perry.
Aunt Barb

Today is January 19, 2026. I still think of you often and miss you especially around December. Not because it’s our birthdays or Christmas time but because you always remembered how I love gingerbread cookies with coffee and would always buy me them. I miss you asking me if Brayden (who is now 24) wants poopy donuts lmao. Remember how you would take him Trick or Treating when he was little? You would so proud of him today. He is a a daddy now and finally ready for school to make something of himself. 
I still have you programmed in my phone. You were and always will be one of my favorite people in the world. Just so you know I drank gingerbread chia tea cold from Starbucks all through December 2025 and thought of you.

This is a memory of my nephew, Perry.  Ever since he was a little guy, I always loved him. There seemed to be a connection between us.

He was always busy do something. I think we were both the same of having something to do.  He was very creative and always had a joke to tell.  Very easy to talk to about anything.

I miss him very much. I hope he knows that from heaven.

Love you so very much.
Your Aunt Barb

To my special nephew, Perry. I loved Perry very much. Always had the sense of humor going. He is missed so very much. 
You will always be remembered by me.
Love you Perry. Your Aunt Barb

To my one and only Perry. I cannot believe you are gone. It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about you.
I wished you were still here. Your life was cut short.
I will always remember your great sense of humor and what a talented and creative designer you were. I will always love you.
Your Aunt Barbara

I first met Perry in the lunch room at Woodruff High School, very pleasant guy and treated me well, even though I was a little weird, okay, alot weird. lol.  We got to talking about music and and he told be about Dan Fogelberg. I never heard of him, but Perry thought very highly of his music so I bought his first vinyl album. I liked him so much, I ended up owning all of them and through the years of a few road trips and Florida trips, Fogelberg in our journey's in life would come up. Perry was a great friend from the beginning, he was an honest and loyal friend, he was like family. He was very respectful of my parents and siblings. God Bless you my friend, may God embrace you with your Dad in Heaven and in Love and Peace and may God watch over your family and friends on earth. Peace bro 


I met Perry on set of Midwest Hustler. We were filming in the Carlinville courthouse .He was so friendly and the thing that struck me most was his handshake. It was so strong I thought he was gonna break my tiny little hand LOL .  He was so friendly and so open to everyone and so willing to help. Rest In Peace Perry. You will be missed.❤️

Perry was a great friend of mine! I met him back in 09 when we did home loans together. He was in the arts and that is how we connected. After we left the loan biz, we stayed connected and worked on many other projects together ranging from photography to home remodeling. He was always looking out for me and always had my back when I needed help. He helped me follow my dreams and worked on my movie set every chance he could. His last msg to me was Nov 5th. I thought something was wrong when I didn't hear back from him. My heart is broken.  A friend like him is extremely rare. He shared tons of interesting and funny stories throughout our years. I'll miss you my friend, my brother. Until we meet again...

Perry and I reconnected after the 40th class reunion. We became friends. His memory was amazing! He led an interesting life. Never at a loss for words. He truly cared about people. Ornery is one word you could say about him. He had a great love for his family and friends.


Someone described him as being complicated and I would agree. I think his mind worked so much faster than his body. He lived a million different lives. In all of them there were always someone that he connected with. 

I still cannot believe he is not here on earth.  I know he is up in heaven telling his jokes. 

His name for me was “Goobs”. I hope I was his only “Goobs.”

Rest In Peace you wayward traveler!




I have so many funny memories of Perry. I loved hanging out with him,Richard,Kirk and Timmy.  We did so many crazy things! It was Perry and Richard who camped out on the hood of my Buick after i graduated from U if I and my mom woke me up to tell me there were two guys sitting on my car who weren’t gonna let me move to Dallas! 

In our 20’s  I used to visit them all in Atlanta, and they visited me in Dallas. One of my favorite pictures is from one of their visits… Back in the 80s ...don’t you love the short shorts?

In college the boys used to come visit me at U of I.Those were fun weekends.  I even managed to find dates for them to one of the Tri delta dances! Another hilarious evening. 

What I like to remember is that Perry was the one who would always sit and talk to you deep into the night about relationships, love, life etc. He was a very soulful person. 

He stayed in touch with me through all these years. I heard from him just a few months ago and he asked me all about my life in CA, and whenever I came back to Peoria to visit he would always reach out and try to meet for coffee and a chat. I never could quite keep track of what Perry was up to, he certainly lived an interesting life!  He had many friends and I know he loved being an uncle.  

RIP perrybird. We love you and will miss your cute dimples, baby blues, and bad jokes. 

My dear cousin, Perry, had a warm and generous spirit. With the heart of an artist (and his sublime creative vision), along with the happy wanderlust of a true explorer and lover of life ‘s experiences, Perry was always interested to share his many stories and to hear ours. To be around Perry was to be constantly engaged in an interesting conversation about happy, cherished memories or endless, new ideas.  We were always sharing our life’s stories throughout our many life changes, from our childhood play together to the choices and directions of adulthood. I knew Perry was always to be my true ally, loyal friend, happy companion in travel, encourager of all things, and sharer of good music, design, and artistic beauty.  How can someone who was so much a part of my life ever leave? He will never leave me, because what we shared is, and will remain, so much of me. He always brought the things shared in life that leave the most happiness and meaning. Be at peace, Dear Cousin....until we meet again.
Cous,
Randy Rademaker

I met Perry at Par-a-dice. We not only were co-workers but began a genuine real friendship.  We were coffee buddies forever. When my kids were small he always liked to take them on Halloween. He always asked me if my kids wanted "Poopy Donuts."  That was a joke to this day. He was Always a True and sincere friend.  Never complained about life.  Always happy even when life threw him lemons. There will never be another Perry to replace him. He will always be missed and in my memories. See you in Paradise Perry. I love you always.
Michelle 

Perry was more than a cousin to me, he was a big brother and a friend. I have many fond memories but one in particular that stands out. I lived with Perry when first graduating from college and we used to take turns cooking dinner and liked to make spicy spaghetti. One night after having the spaghetti, I was brushing my teeth and my mouth quickly felt like it was on fire. I thought it was one of the spicy peppers in the spaghetti sauce but it turned out he had put pepper paste on my tooth brush. Of course I eventually got him back but was just one example of his sense of humor. Perry would give the shirt off of his back to anyone, even if it was his last one. You would never know if he had a bad day as he never had one no matter how hard things may of been for him. He will forever have a place in my heart.

Mary, Elisa, Marcy and family,
I am deeply sorry for your loss. Perry was a funny and creative soul. I will remember him, always, as a warm bear of a guy who always made me laugh.

From one Ebba Debba to another, I will miss you Perry.  

Until we meet again...love you buddy.

I FIRST MET PERRY DECEMBER 14. 1958 IN THE OSF NURSERY.

HE TOOK MY FORMULA

HAD LOTS OF FUN TIMES   AND SCARY TIMES (CHICKEN).

REST IN PEACE (RIP). PERRY EUGENE





To my nephew who I thought the world of and I always had faith in him whatever he tried to do.  Perry was very creative and a great swimmer along with being very handsome.  I can remember my sister, Mary, telling me that he was doing some modeling. He looked that good.
Great sense of humor, always trying to make you laugh, even if you didn't  get it. 
I will miss him so very much. Will always be in my heart. He is now where he will get very good care.
God Bless You Perry.
Your Aunt Barbara

Mary, Elisa, and Marcy. Who didnt love Perry!  All of my childhood memories at St Paul would have Perry in them from all the girls chasing him at Sunday school to the fun times in Confirmation.  He was a great guy always loved talking to him when I ran into him! Gods love and  peace be with you all!

Heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Perry's family.  I went on a couple of dates with Perry when we were in high school.  He was a sweet guy.   Recently reconnected on Facebook to say hi.  So sorry to hear of his passing.  Rest in peace Perry.  Sincerely, Sherry Doebler Barker

My thoughts and prayers are with all of Perry's family members and friends. Perry was my fraternity brother at Western and my rugby teammate on the Peoria Pigs. He was always a stand up guy with a great sense of humor. May he always rest in peace.

Perry & I were life long friends & first met in the 2nd grade in Sunday school at St Paul Lutheran Church and for the past 25+ years, we discussed life nearly every Monday morning.  Today of course, my phone didn't ring....but I find comfort in knowing that our last call a week ago today  revolved around our faith in Christ...!  

Our calls seldom went that direction but it did last week, and by God's grace, He must have tapped Perry on the shoulder.  Perry told me that he was ready to get back into the church & looked forward to possibly joining a worship team where he could utilize one of his talents; singing.  Not all calls went that direction as many of those were spent reminiscing about our early years, especially high school, college, & those wild 20's.  With that, I thought I'd share a few of the humorous things I learned from Perry as a teenager, but please don't use these as future drivers training tools:

#1)  Tanks can fly  (the powder blue 1966 Chrysler Newporter = "Tank").  I first witnessed flight over the RR tracks on Bishop Hill but there were others
#2)  Emergency brakes can be used in the snow for precision 90 degree turns
#3)  After turning 16 upon receipt of a drivers license, it is possible to be pulled over 21 times in a row without getting a ticket.  Perry holds this unofficial Peoria record, with one incident of trying to drive home in reverse from Pioneer Drive-In on University.

What a salesman he was and thank goodness Arnie was in the insurance business; what a coincidence, right?  

Today, I find comfort in finally knowing exactly where Perry is, as he probably holds another record for moving, searching for that ideal job....and if anyone has a copy of his resume, I'd love to see it but then again, it would have to be the size of the last printed Chicago phone book:-).    

Speaking of phone books, I'll stop writing here & finish by saying, I loved you as a brother & will miss you Perry; our memories live on forever!   Kirk Post


My condolences to the Family of Perry Ehlen. Perry and I were childhood friends and neighbors. Ehlens lived directly across from us on the next street. So I knew Perry since we moved to Peoria in 4th grade at Von Steuben and Woodruff. I was not around Peoria much after high school graduation but I did see a post on social media now and then.  I pray for the family, that they will be assured by his salvation and only missing him in this world is all they will face.

Perry and I met at Wedgewood swim club back in, I think, the summer between 7th and 8th grade.  We both liked the same girl. Instead of enemies, we became friends and that lasted nearly 50 yrs. We played rugby together.  We had a lot of fun together.  I was honestly glad he was my friend.  RIP Perry.  I'll miss you my friend.


To Mother Mary and my sisters-
We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.  We know for sure we have an angel  on a shoulder at any given time.
All our love to Perry and his family  and friends!!

My deepest condolences to all of you. I was very fortunate to have met “Perry Bird” through dear Peoria friends back in the early 80s while in college. 

Perry worked with me at Bachrachs  at what seems like a very long time ago. Perry had a real knack for sales, instantly connecting with customers  and making the sale. When Perry was at Western, I was an over the road salesman and he bar tended part time at the Holiday Inn, and when I would stay over, we would talk for hours. Later in my life when I was going through a personal crisis, Perry gave me a sympathetic ear and introduced me to new friends, that ultimately got me through the rough patch. For that I will always be grateful. It was always interesting to see what new adventure Perry was embarking on throughout his life, and it seems he always had something , bigger and better. He has gone way to soon.

Mary, Elisa, Marcy and families

I was so sorry to see Perry passed away.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.  I think about you often. 


First met Perry from years at  Von Steuben Elementary, then all through high school at Woodruff, where I became a bit of a friend and huge fan of his due to his preeminence in and competitive domination at swimming.  As I recall, he set the Illinois District 150 high school records for both freestyle and butterfly while we were teammates, and he was feared by every opponent that ever swam against him.   Perry was a human torpedo and he knew it.  A decade later we became roommates for about a year in his absolute kick-ass bachelor pad condo in the North Peoria Pioneer Parkway area, where socializing and entertaining was a high priority.  This allowed for me to know him as an adult and person, and although he was a complicated and calculating guy with some intricate elements, I learned that he was also very psychologically  insightful, a gifted charmer of the ladies, and a guy’s type of guy.  Bottom line ... Perry was a fun and pleasant human being and someone that I am thankful to call a friend.

Perry, I am so sad to hear this. Michelle just called me and notified me. We both will miss you we both wondered why we hadn't heard from you in a couple of months. I miss having coffee with you and talking about food, business and travels.... I hope you did not suffer...You will be missed  you will be missed RIP
Maria

OBITUARY

Perry E. Ehlen

10 December, 1958 – 6 November, 2020

Davison-Fulton-Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home

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