Robert (Bob) Henry Peery of White Oak, Texas passed away December 3rd, 2012, in his home, at the age of 91. Bob Peery was born to Henry Irving Peery and Ernestine Grubbs Peery on March 30, 1921 in Kemp, Texas. After he graduated from Kemp High School in 1939, Peery began attending East Texas Teachers College in Commerce. However, with the imminent arrival of World War II, he enlisted in the Armed Services in 1941, serving five years, (one year in the Naval Air Corp and four years in the Army).
During WWII, he saw combat action in France and Germany both as a gunner Corporal and later as a Forward Observer. He received the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars during his service. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was one of the first U.S. soldiers to arrive at the Dachau German concentration camp and see the atrocities first hand.
Upon his return after WWII, he finished college with a degree in Industrial Arts, and on April 2, 1947 he married Mildred Marie Philpott.
Then he began his working career as a football coach for Henderson County Jr. College in Athens. In January 1949, a vacancy opened at White Oak High School and he became the industrial arts teacher and Junior High coach. He was an assistant High School coach to Emil Hanicak in basketball and Theo "Cotton" Miles in football. In 1961, he was selected as the "Outstanding Industrial Arts Teacher of the Year" by the Texas Industrial Arts Association. He also was named seven times as East Texas Industrial Arts Teacher of Year. He served as President of the Gregg County chapter of the Texas State Teachers Association in 1969-70. After teaching Industrial Arts for 18 years he became the High School Counselor in 1966.
Being a true outdoorsman, hunting and fishing were his passions away from the school grounds. Using his Industrial Arts skills, he was noted in an article in the Dallas Morning News as the first fisherman to modify his boat with a carpeted deck, elevated swivel seats, lockable storage compartments, and multiple rod holders. During the summers in the early 1960's, Peery would move his family to Lake of the Pines, where he was a Professional Fishing Guide, with clients such as the Presidents of Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper, Mayors of Dallas, and Coaches Buddy Parker of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Ernie Stautner of the Dallas Cowboys. He became interested in photography in 1963 and began documenting his fishing adventures with his clients sending photos to their hometown newspapers, receiving free advertising in the process. He also became the White Oak School photographer during this time. His great, great grandfather, Henry Fielding Peery, was a photographer during the Civil War and established a studio in Kaufman, Texas from 1871-1890. When Peery retired from school teaching in 1978, he went into photography full time for about 5 years before retiring and becoming the Lake Warden at Lake Devernia. He was a member of East Mountain Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mildred, who he is once again waiting on her to join him. He is also survived by two sons Ronny and Mike. His oldest son, Bobby, died in December 2011. He has six grandchildren, Meegan Peery, Joey Peery, Brian Peery, Jim Peery, Amber Peery Dalton, and Joseph Peery, and four great grandchildren, Lexi Peery, Gracie Peery, Elijah Dalton, and Isaiah Peery, with three more on the way.
A memorial service will be held at East Mountain Baptist Church on December 11th, at 11:00 am.
For a complete history with photos and videos on the life of Bob Peery, please visit www.peerysphoto.com.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18