John Ray Perry

John Ray Perry, Sr. “Neg”, 80, of Buna, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.  He was born on January 9, 1941, in Orange, to Olive Abshire Perry and Eli Perry.  Neg was a member of Buna United Pentecostal Church.

Neg was born the tenth of twelve children.  He had to learn the value of family at a very early age.  Due to losing his mother when he was only 6 years old, Neg had to help take care of his two younger siblings, Tiny and Peanut.

In 1961, Neg married his loving wife, Mary Jane Ray Perry.  He raised his family on a farm with many animals and taught his children the love for rodeo.  As his children began getting older, Neg built an arena at his house for team roping.

He worked eighteen years mowing highways for the Texas State Highway Department.  He built two sawmills one in Texas and one in Oklahoma.  Neg began working for Temple Inland in 1990 and retired from there in 2004. After retirement, Neg and Mary moved to Goldthwaite, where he worked his dream job at Los Valles Ranch.  His son John worked there with him, too.

Neg was very good at writing poems and songs.  He was also very passionate about music.  While in Goldthwaite, Neg often looked forward to Thursday nights where he would go to Aubrey’s playhouse to play music with his friends.

He was a welder, a carpenter, could operate any kind of heavy equipment, but above all, he was the best “Pop” that anyone could have ever asked for.  He loved building toys for his grandkids to play with and taking musical instruments out to play for them, and to teach them to play.

Survivors include his wife of fifty-nine years, Mary Jane Perry; daughter, Donna LaFosse and her husband, Boogie, of Buna; grandchildren, Josh LaFosse; Jessica Coleman and her husband, Tyler, of Denham Springs, Louisiana; Gracie Perry of Cherokee; and Rolando Davis and his wife, Marissa, of Jerrell; great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Coleman, Cole Davis, Ember Davis, and Oakleigh Davis; daughter-in-law, Maria Perry of Cherokee; and siblings, Tiny Powell of Woodville and Matthew “Peanut” Perry of Orange.  He is preceded in death by his parents; sons, John Perry, Jr. and Michael Perry; brothers, Alfred “Son” Perry, Wilburt Perry, Wilson Perry, Leo Perry, Sr., Mayo Perry, Alvin “Brother” Perry, Sr., and Garlan “Wop” Perry; sisters, Vergie Perry and Euvera “Sis” Perry; sisters-in-law, Debbie Perry and Carolyn Hardin; and brother-in-law, Lewis Powell.

A gathering of Mr. Perry’s family and friends will be 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, June 17, 2021, at Buna United Pentecostal Church, 116 CR 833, Buna, under the direction of Broussard’s, Silsbee.  His funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, June 18, 2021, at the church, with his interment to follow at Sudduth Bluff Cemetery, Buna.

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