Marion H. Perry

She and her loving husband, Joseph A. Perry, always wanted to live in San Antonio and their dream was realized in 1967, when Joe was tapped as part of the team to help create the Institute of Texan Cultures for Hemisfair.

She was proud of serving as elementary school room mother for each of her children and as PTA president at Glenoaks Elementary. When all three kids were in high school, she went back to work as one of the first administrative employees in the Admissions Office at UTSA when the campus was opened at Loop 1604. She served in various administrative positions, including assistant to the Dean of the College of Business, and finally in the Small Business Development Center until she retired. While at the university, she was the first campus advisor for the Upsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi and served another 15 years, receiving the Advisor of the Year twice. She was an alumnae initiate of AOII in 1993.

She didn’t just “enjoy sewing”, she created glorious custom-tailored ensembles and costumes, from a picture, sketch, or by draping and did so for a select cadre of clients, friends and family. She created the green bear for the Green-Bexar publication and the first husky costume for the Holmes High human mascot. She was Wardrobe Mistress for the Der Deutsche Volkstanzverein German folk dancing group which she helped create in 1985, creating and curating all of the costumes until 2022, 10 years after she retired from the group. She was recognized for the authenticity of the group’s costumes by the North American German Folk Dance Federation.

She loved all kind of dance, including international folk dances as well as Middle Eastern folkdance, and enjoyed dancing the tango and merengue with friends at local dance nights. She also served as President of the San Antonio International Folk Dancers.

She had a wickedly droll sense of humor and loved playing word games in person and on the computer. She was a loyal friend, supporting wherever needed as needed.

She definitely lived life on her own terms.

She was predeceased by her parents and husband and leaves behind her children, Leigh Perry (O. Edsel Beale), John Perry (Lavella), Scott Perry (Debbie); grandchildren, Emily Perry, Makayla Perry, Matthew Perry, and Branden Beale; and great-granddaughter, Brittany Beale. A private memorial is scheduled.

Contributions can be made in her honor to the UTSA Student Emergency Fund, by listing her name on the 2nd page: https://tinyurl.com/MarionPerry.