David Joseph Perry

David was born in Rumford, Maine to Leo and Lucy Perry on April 22, 1938. He graduated from Stephens High School in 1956. One month after graduating from high school, David began working at Oxford Paper Company. Two years later, he met and later married Sandra Jannace on September 3, 1960.

David was a proud member of the National Guard for eight years and only stepped away to spend more time with his family. He volunteered as a leader with the Boy Scouts while his son, David II, worked his way from Cub Scouts to Eagle Scout. His community service did not stop there, as he spent many years serving on the board of the Rumford Water District.

David was a passionate member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), joining the Rumford Elks Lodge #862 in the early 1960s. He served as Exalted Ruler of the Rumford Lodge 1977-78, State President of the Maine State Elks Association from 1984-85, and later as their State Treasurer. Although he took pride in everything the club represented, he was especially proud of the charitable contributions the club made to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.

David was an avid skier and former member/president of the Chisholm Ski Club. He helped manage the Black Mountain Ski Area in its early days. David eventually traded in his skis for a bicycle and took pride in biking 2,500 miles each year. David also enjoyed swimming and put an in-ground pool in the backyard of his Rumford home. He also enjoyed tennis, chess, hiking, and camping and shared his love for these things with his family and friends. He loved being outside, happily sharing his birthday with Earth Day. In his later years, he often could be found catching a nap on the deck he built.

With a full-time job and young children, David started attending the University of Maine at Farmington by taking classes at the Rumford center. David later commuted to Farmington for the classes he could not get in Rumford and received a bachelor’s degree in 1992. He was thrilled to share his UMF graduation day with his godchild, Lynn Lavorgna Landry.

He spent his entire career at the Rumford mill, retiring from Mead Corporation in 1997 at the age of 59. While some people see their lives get slower after retirement, David’s only got busier. He and Sandra moved from Rumford to Westbrook to be closer to their grandson, Brad. David and Sandra loved to travel, starting with trips to Cape Cod, Myrtle Beach, and other southern spots before becoming official snowbirds in 2009 when they bought a condo in Englewood, Florida. This allowed them to frequently visit their favorite place, Walt Disney World. When they weren’t traveling, they were “running the roads,” often shopping, eating out, and visiting Portland Head Light. In David’s free time, he added on to their Westbrook home.

David was an easy-going man who always had a smile on his face. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Sandra, of Westbrook; son David II and daughter-in-law Ann Perry of Westbrook; daughter Tammy Perry of Westbrook; grandson Bradley (Jacqueline) Perry of Dunmore, Pennsylvania; his great-grandchildren, whom he affectionately called “the munchkins,” Azrael, Eliza, and Orion Perry, also of Dunmore, Pennsylvania; and his sisters Jean (Peter) DeSalle of Rumford Center and Judy Beaudoin of The Villages, Florida. David was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Lucy Perry.

In recognition of David’s life, the family asks that any memorial contributions be directed to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program (https://www.mainehealth.org/maine-medical-center/philanthropy-mainehealth-maine-medical-center/maine-childrens-cancer-program). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am on June 26, 2026 at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Ave., Portland. Burial will be in Rumford at a later date.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign David’s online guest book.