Charles R. Perry

On Thursday November 27 the world lost a mighty lion. Popularly known as “Big Chuck” to his family, he lived in inexhaustible felicity. He is survived by his beautiful wife Ann, his three boys - Charles, Wes, and Addison, his daughter Amelia, his grandson Logan, his mother Dottie, his brothers Frank and Don, and their respective wives, Suzette and Sherrill. He leaves them all with a plethora of incredible stories, memories, and experiences. He had a special relationship with his grandson Logan whom he loved like his own son. Indeed, he leaves a legacy filled with children, grandchildren, brothers, his mom and cousins, all of whom will forever love him deeply. As the story goes, the ancient Greeks, who chose not to eulogize, asked only one question when a human being passed - “Did he have Passion?” Big Chuck had Passion for the mysteries of life, his friends, his profession, and most of all – for his family. He loved all of them dearly, and incessantly spoke very proudly of his family. He grew up in Greenville, SC, born to Don and Dottie Perry. He grew up with his two brothers and spent countless hours on the golf course crafting his game. As a young man, he won the 1969 South Carolina State Golf Championship. He was a fierce competitor. The first time he met his future wife Ann at a party, they struck up a conversation near the basketball court at “Club Up,” the Upshaw residence on Peachtree Battle. He told her that if he made ten out of ten free throws she would have to tell him that she loved him. Her response was, “I don’t even know you!” He then proceeded to drain all ten, nothing but net. Fortunately, Ann was unaware that Chuck was a legendary free throw shooter. Shortly thereafter, they married. This was the type of charisma and passion he shared with his family in a very magical way. He had vision. He created his dream estate in Scaly Mountain, NC, where he loved to walk around the lake, maintain the property, consume several cold Red Oaks, and listen to music with his family. The famous trips to the mountain house consisted of many nights of jamming, dancing, and jubilance. Chuck had an insatiable appetite for knowledge. He attended the University of Virginia, hitchhiked across the country following various bands, and later returned to school to receive his Bachelor’s in English from the University of Florida. His next conquest was Duke Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor. At any given time, his night stand was littered with books of various topics. Whether political, historical, or conspiracy-centered, each book was thoroughly read and annotated. He was also fascinated with the mystical ways of Eastern Philosophy and Chinese Medicine. He was a shepherd of the land. He was on the Board of Directors for the North American Land Trust, was active with the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, and he truly cared for the environment. He was an extremely intelligent man who conducted incredible real estate projects over the course of his career. We worked on transactions in Colorado, West Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, California, and most recently Texas. Chuck was beyond masterful at what he did and was often referred to as “the best”. He was a closer in the truest sense of the word. He was awarded the 1995 ACBR Million Dollar Club Land Deal of the Year for his 375-acre project at Satellite Place, one of the biggest land deals in the state’s history at the time. He was a man highly respected by his peers. He was a well-read world traveler and often took his family on special trips. Traversing the Himalayas, rafting the Ganges, roaming the streets of Europe, exploring the Australian Outback, and watching the Duke Blue Devils and Florida Gators win a multitude of Final Fours from the front row were only some of his epic endeavors. He was a man who had his morals aligned, with integrity being a common theme. He spoke loudly, at times maybe a little too loud, but always spoke with passion. He made the world a better place through his humor, his intelligence, and his ability to connect with people of all types. His presence was unmatched and he was unwavering in his beliefs. He was a lawyer, broker, developer, visionary, ombudsman of all sorts, land man, rogue, free thinker, enthusiast of the esoteric and eccentric, and above all else, a loving family man. He was the REAL most interesting man in the world. His service will be at the Moore Chapel at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 6 at 3:00PM. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the North American Land Trust: 100 Hickory Hill Rd PO Box 467 Chadds Ford, PA 19317 (www.northamericanlandtrust.org)