David James Perry

David James Perry, 87, of Apache Junction Az.  Passed away peacefully on September 20, 2020.

  Although Dave spent the majority of his past 35 years in Arizona, his Heart and Spirit have always remained on the Creek Road family farm, in Wayne Township, where he was born and raised.

  A 1950 graduate of Williamsfield High School, David continued in the footsteps of his father and grandfather as a dairy farmer, milking cows and working the rich soil along Pymatuning Creek.  He also supported his family by working at neighboring farms and holding down factory jobs, often afternoon or midnight shift, at Locke Machine in Andover and later, Welded Tube in Orwell.

 Though originally a small dairy operation, the farm became home to beef cattle, pigs, chickens, ponies, dogs, cats and any other 4-H projects or pets his boys had while growing up.  Though times changed, Dave’s love of Polka music never wavered, he enjoyed dancing from his youth, well into his 70s, as a member of the Arizona Polka Club.

  David move to Arizona in the mid-1980s, where he worked and eventually retired from the Desert Schools School System where he drove school bus.  He also drove city bus and tour bus as well, making many trips to the Grand Canyon.  Retirement was not really his “Cup of Tea”, so he spent many of the following years working part-time as a greeter at “Fryes” a large grocery store chain, where perhaps his greatest pleasure was visiting with the many “Snowbirds” from Northeast Ohio that wintered in the area and often stopped in for supplies. 

     He was preceded in death by his parents; John Allen and Dorthea (Goodman). His brother Eugene Allen, his niece Courtney and his son David John.

  David is survived by his sister Ethel Perry, of San Miguel Ca.  Three sons; Donald (& Charleen) of Jefferson, Oh.  Douglas (& Sherry) of Wayne, Oh. and Daniel (& Dusty) of Wooster, Oh.  He is also survived by many nephews, nieces, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

  David will be laid to rest with a small family service, at the family plot of the Hayes Road Cemetery in Wayne Township, beneath the shade of the maples, some of which were planted by his father and grandfather nearly a century ago.

  The Fleming & Billman Funeral Directors and Crematory, Jefferson, Ashtabula & Geneva assisting the family locally.  View obituary, express condolences or light a candle at fleming-billman.com.

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