Local civic hero, Allen B. Perry, celebrated his 90th Birthday on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at his country home in Decatur with his family, neighbors and golf buddies from Decatur Country Club.
Born on a two-mule farm on June 1, 1934 in Clay County, Alabama, Allen Burrell Perry joined the United States Navy at 17 years-old and entered training in San Diego, California. In 1952 while on leave in Memphis, Tennessee, Allen met his beautiful Patsy (1935-2013). Allen and Patsy were married for 60 years and have four children: two daughters, Deborah Miller of Tennessee, and Carmen Beaubeaux of San Diego, California; and two sons, Carl Allen Perry of Hickory, Mississippi, and Chris Perry of Decatur, Mississippi.
From far and wide, family members gathered at the Perry country estate to wish Allen a happy birthday. Among them was Allen’s sister, Sonia Stidham and his brother, Mickie, Perry of Trussville, Alabama; and Allen’s granddaughter Maria Miller from Brooklyn, New York; and Monica Blades who has recently moved to Hickory with her husband, Brad Blades and their daughters, Everly (10) and Eden (7). Allen’s grandson, Gabriel Miller from Athens, Tennessee was also there with his wife, Adele Miller and their daughters, Gwendolyn Miller (12) and Cordelia Miller (5).
The nonagenarian celebration was a lively bucolic mid-day affair with red-gingham tablecloths and children running amok. Potted violet centerpieces represented "Sweet Violets” a song from Allen’s repertoire. A live performance by Bryan Culpepper captured the mood as guests lined up for the catered backyard bar-be-que buffett. Chris Perry opened the festivities with a heart- felt welcome, and Doyle Moore blessed the buffet with a prayer. Guests held high their red solo cups of iced tea and lemonade to toast Allen’s good health and many achievements (most notably his recent hole-in-one at Decatur Country Club) and to cheer on his next successful voyage around the sun.
Martha’s Mixing Bowl made a custom strawberry birthday cake (Allen’s favorite) decorated with historical artwork from Allen's illustrious twenty-eight year military career before he retired from the United States Navy with many high honors and awards.
Following Allen’s retirement, the Perry’s fulfilled their dream to build a house on Patsy’s ancestral family land in Newton County where they would raise their young sons to adulthood and live out the remainder of their days. Allen established the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce while attending construction classes at East Central Community College. For three decades Allen conducted the U.S. census for the region while he worked as Shipping Supervisor at Green Acres Poultry Processing Plant. During that time Patsy served as dispatcher at the Newton Police Department and started the candy-striper program at Laird Hospital. Throughout his second career, Allen helped to found the Conehatta Volunteer Fire Department; spear-headed the school consolidation process for the Newton County School District; and manufactured Toys For Tots in his wood shop.
These days – when he isn’t on the golf course perfecting his backspin, or visiting with old friends, or enjoying lunch in town, or tending to his beautiful vegetable garden – Allen spends his time relaxing on the front porch.
