John E. Perry, Jr.

John Ellery Perry Jr., 79, of Fairfax, VA passed away of natural causes at home on September 1, 2016. Born in Willimantic, CT on February 16, 1937, Mr. Perry was the son of the late John Ellery Perry and Irene (White) Perry. Mr. Perry grew up in Scotland, CT and graduated from Windham High School in 1955. He obtained an Associate Degree from Wentworth Institute and a BS in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University in 1963. He later earned a Master?s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 1974. Mr. Perry was commissioned in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps in November 1963. He served as Officer in Charge of Construction at Atsugi Naval Air Station in Japan from 1964-1967. Mr. Perry spent three tours of duty in the Antarctic. While assigned to the National Science Foundation from 1971-1973, he served as Special Projects Officer and was responsible for overseeing the construction of a new geodesic dome which served as South Pole Station until it was dismantled in 2009. Mr. Perry later was instrumental in preserving parts of this innovative design at the SEABEE Museum in Port Hueneme, CA. In 1971 he received the Navy Commendation Medal in recognition as his service as Officer-in-Charge of Navy Construction Battalion 201 during Operation DEEP FREEZE from 1969 to 1971. He also Wintered Over while serving as Public Works Officer for Naval Support Force Antarctica from 1967-1969. Mr. Perry later served in public works assignments in Barbers Point Naval Air Station and on the staff of Commander-in-Chief Pacific at Camp H.M. Smith in Hawaii from 1976-1979; and at the Naval Support Activity in New Orleans, LA from 1979-1982. From 1982-1985 he served as Officer in Charge of Construction at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, VA. He served 26 years in the Navy and retired with the rank of Commander in 1988. His last assignment was as Staff Engineer with the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. After his retirement from the Navy, Mr. Perry held a variety of consulting positions, including as Project General Manager at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and Site Manager at Cape Canaveral, FL. Since retiring from the Navy, Mr. Perry lived in Fairfax, Virginia where he attended St. Timothy Catholic Church in Chantilly, Virginia. He is survived by his wife of 52 years Marilyn (Maine) Perry, his brother Russell and his wife Diana of Scotland CT, and his sister Marilyn and her husband George Rose of Florida. He also leaves a sister- and brother-in-law, Joyce (Maine) and Kenneth Garstka of Ledyard CT; and a brother-in law Roland Maine Jr. and his companion Marsha Bradshaw of Scotland CT. He also leaves his son Jeffrey and his wife Kimberly (Silver) and children Margaret Aline, Rand Franklin and Charles Henry; and his daughter Christine, and her husband Lance McClintock and children Peyton John, Katherine Ellen and Carson James, all of Virginia. His six grandchildren were his pride and joy. Donations in Mr. Perry?s memory made be sent to the CEC/SEABEE Historical Foundation, P.O. Box 657, Gulfport, MS 39502. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.