Ned Klapp Perry Sr.

Ned Klapp Perry, Sr., former Fire Chief of the Cary Fire Department died on Sunday, October 26th, 2014. He was 78 years old. Perry served as the Cary Fire Chief for 18 years before retiring in 1993. He was born June 18, 1936 in Franklin County, NC. He was the fourth child of the late Jarvis W. Perry, Sr. and Frances C. Perry. As a child he grew up with his parents in the Pearces Community in Franklin County.

Ned graduated from Bunn High School in Franklin County in 1954. He continued his studies at North Carolina State University, the University of Georgia, the University of Wisconsin, Texas A & M University and the US Fire Academy at Emmetsburg, Maryland.

Ned began his career in the Raleigh Fire Department in 1958. He was promoted through the ranks of the Raleigh Fire Department to the rank of Captain. In September 1975 he was appointed to the position of Fire Chief in Cary, North Carolina where he served as the Fire Chief until his retirement in 1993. He served 36 years in the fire service.

Ned enjoyed his work and spent much of his life working to improve fire protection services throughout the United States. His involvement in the affairs of the Fire Service extended across a broad spectrum including President of the Raleigh Association of Fire Fighters, the North Carolina Association of Professional Fire Fighters, the Wake County Association of Fire Chiefs, the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs and he was a member and an officer of the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He also served five years as North Carolina's representative on the Southern Building Code Congress International, located in Birmingham, Alabama. He served on many other Fire Service related councils including the North Carolina State Building Code Council.

During his lifetime he enjoyed spending time with his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his brothers and sister and their families and his friends. He enjoyed attending church, working on his computer, reading, traveling, fishing and helping people.

At the time of his death he was a member of the Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, NC where he was active in many areas of the church and he served on several committees including the Board of Trustees for many years. He was a Master Mason, a Shriner and a member of Rotary International.

Mr. Perry is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years, Ava Cash Perry, his son Ned Klapp Perry, Jr. and his wife Lisa Jennings Perry, granddaughters Adell Perry, Amanda Perry Hogge and her husband Brian all of Cary, NC. His daughter Kim and her husband Bill Christian, grandsons Paul Christian and his wife Emily, Perry Christian and Alex Christian all of Chapel Hill, NC. He is also survived by two brothers and a sister: Hal C. Perry of Zebulon, NC, June G. Perry and his wife Patsy of Wendell, NC, sister Lou P. Tippett and her husband Lyndo of Fayetteville, NC and sister-in-law Fran Perry of Pearces, NC. Mr. Perry was predeceased by his brother JW Perry, Jr. and his sister-in-law Menia Perry.

A memorial service for Ned Perry, Sr. will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, October 30, 2014 in the sanctuary at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, NC. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary. Inurnment will be in the Columbarium at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the "Frances C. Perry Memorial Education Fund”, Address: Pearce Baptist Church, 4634 Pearces Rd, Zebulon, NC 27597.

Online condolences may be sent to the family through www.brownwynnecary.com.