Bob (Robert) Perry died September 26, 2022 following a two and a half year battle with Leukemia. Born on May 3, 1949, in Saint John, New Brunswick to Gordon and Ella (Rhind) Perry, ‘Bio’ Bob taught biology at Millidgeville North High School, Agogo State Secondary School in Ghana and Saint John High School from 1972 to 2004. A member of the Mount Allison University soccer team (1967-1971), he remained very active in the Saint John soccer community after his playing days, coaching high school teams, helping with the 1984 Canada Summer Games and with his boys’ teams. Gardening at the farm on Belleisle Bay was Bob’s passion and how he enjoyed his summers, saving time at the end of the day for a trip to the beach and happy hour. For decades he competed at regional fall exhibitions, and was very happy to be back to the Saint John Exhibition and Gagetown Fall Fair this September for the first time since 2020. When gardening season ended he played badminton and skied at Poley Mountain as part of the Ski Atlantic Seniors Club. Bob loved to visit with his relatives in Nova Scotia, and was an avid international traveler especially during his two years living in Ghana in the 1970s and in retirement. He always wanted to take the scenic route!
Bob is survived by his wife Ann (Merritt), sons David and Sean, daughters-in-law Joanna and Emily, and sister Jean. Stella, Max and Drew miss Grandpa. Bob was always an entertaining uncle to Marc, Tim, Gina, Tyler, Dustin, Shayla, Caitlin, Jordan, Alison and Carri and looked forward to connecting with his large network of cousins whenever he could.
He loved people and was the kind of person who would strike up a conversation with a stranger while pumping gas. That used to embarrass one of his then teenage sons who did not yet appreciate his father’s remarkable universal good nature, which he carried throughout his leukemia treatment. Bob did what he loved to do, where he loved to do it, right up to the end. In the days just before his death he was out straightening up his garden after Hurricane Fiona, reading to his grandson over Facetime and seeing Ann’s quilt show through to the end.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada or the Saint John High School Alumni Association are welcome, and if you are able to, please consider donating blood. Bob was a lifelong blood donor, reaching the 200 donation milestone, but he more than made up for that during his leukemia treatment.
His family would like to thank the staff at the Saint John Regional Hospital oncology unit for their compassionate care, especially during the COVID19 lockdown when visitors were not allowed.
A visitation will be held at Fundy Funeral Home, 230 Westmorland Road (646-2424) on Friday September 30th from 3:00 to -7:00 pm.
All are welcome at a Celebration of Life at 380 Belleisle Shore Road starting at 1pm Oct 1. You are encouraged to wear a flannel or plaid shirt in Bob’s memory. To send a message of condolence please visit www.fundyfuneralhome.com
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC)
804-2 Lansing Square, Toronto ON M2J 4P8
Tel: 1-877-668-8326
Web: http://www.llscanada.org/
Saint John High School Centennial Scholarship Fund
170-200 Prince William St , Saint John, NB E2L 2B7,
Tel: 506-658-5358