Anicet Joseph “AJ” Perk, Jr. passed away on April 9, 2021 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 81. A native of Chackbay, Louisiana, he grew up speaking Cajun French, graduated from LSU in 1962 and moved to the Washington D.C. area to work for the US Navy as a chemical engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, MD. He rose to the position of Head of the Weapons Engineering Department before retiring in 1997. He met his wife, Lillian (Pinky) Norris in Maryland whom he was married to for 53 years. They had one son, Kevin. AJ moved to Tennessee to be close to his son and daughter-in-law who reside in Memphis. He was a devoted husband and father. He loved gardening, animals and cooking gumbo. He will be remembered for his willingness to help others, his stubbornness and determination, his desire for excellence and fairness and for his ability to not miss a word while appearing to be asleep in meetings.
He is survived by his son, Kevin (his wife, Terron). He was preceded in death by his wife, his father, Anicet Joseph Perk, Sr.; mother, Odette (Chiasson) Perk; and brothers, Leander, Dibert and Dennis.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 13 from 5:00 until 7:00 PM, at Memphis Funeral Home located at 5599 Poplar Avenue in Memphis, TN. Interment will follow after a Catholic Mass at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Chackbay, Louisiana the date of which is still to be determined.
The family asks that memorial donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation at parkinson.org be made in lieu of flowers.
