James Allen Perry

James Allen “Jim” Perry, age 85, died Thursday, February 8, 2001 in a Wheeler, Texas nursing home. He was born on September 4, 1915 in Craft, Texas and was raised in Fort Sumner, NM where his father was a blacksmith for several years. Mr. Perry was an all around star athlete at Fort Sumner High School in the mid 30’s and, along with his younger brother, Joe, boxed in many towns in Eastern New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, Southern Colorado, and Mexico in the 30’s. Mr. Perry fought under the name of “The Fighting Blacksmith.” He was declared the Light Heavy Weight Champion of the Southwest by Ring Magazine in his late teens. Mr. Perry served in WW II in the U.S. Navy Construction Battalion (Seabees) units in the Philippines. In the late stages of the war, he was returned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he boxed in “smokers” earning the Light Heavy Weight Championship of the US Navy belt. He was honorably discharged in November 1945. James worked as a carpenter subcontractor and lived in New Mexico, California, and Texas until his death. He lived in care and attendance facilities and nursing homes in Fort Sumner, Melrose, NM; Morton, TX; Borger, TX; and Wheeler, TX for several years before his death due to a heart attack. His parents Joseph Johnson Perry and Lillie Dee Hall Perry, a former teacher in the Fort Sumner school system, preceded him in death. A son, Gene Perry, died at age 40 in 1990. His brother, Joseph (“Irish Joe”) Perry, died during WWII while serving in the Canadian Royal Air Force. His sister, Opal Dee Perry Harvey, also a long-time teacher in Fort Sumner, died in 1987. His is survived by two sons Daniel Roy Perry (COL. USAF, Ret.), and his wife, Irene Elizabeth Caranta Perry of San Antonio, TX; Joseph Allen Perry, and his wife, Lynda Lee Perry of Kingsport, TN; a daughter, Candee Lou Perry Fields, of Richardson, TX; Nine grandchildren, Dr. Alan Raymond Perry of State College, PA; Cindy Anne Perry Kazala of San Antonio, TX; Stephanee Daniell Fields of The Colony, TX; Samica Marshell Stuart of Lewisville, TX; Daniel James Maynard of Richardson, TX; twins Tyler James Perry and Jordan John Perry of Kingsport, TN; and twins Kyle Allen Perry and Kaitlin Leigh Perry of Baltimore, MD. Also surviving are two Great Grandchildren, Ryan Lee Fields of The Colony, TX; and Lillie Aaron Stuart of Lewisville, TX. Visitation will be Monday from 10AM to 1PM at the Chavez Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Monday, February 12, 2001 from Fort Sumner Cemetery with Sister Teresita Garcia officiating followed by military honors from Cannon Air Force Base Honor Guard. The family prefers memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Disease Research, 15825 Shady Grove, Rd. Suite 140, Rockville, MD 20850. All arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home in Fort Sumner, NM.