Dorothy T. Perry

BARRE CITY - Dorothy Louise Thomas Perry (Dottie), a longtime Barre resident, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 27, 2018 at Westview Meadows in Montpelier. Her loving family was with her at her bedside.

Born in Montpelier on April 28, 1923, she was the daughter of George Dolphus Thomas and Pearl Laura Kellogg Thomas.

The fifth of seven children, she spent her early childhood in Middlesex, and started school in Montpelier at the age of 6. Her family moved to Plainfield when she was 13, and her parents opened The American Restaurant and Service Station (now the Maple Valley Cafe). Dottie baked pies for the restaurant before going to school in the morning, sometimes skating to school on the Winooski river. She loved to reminisce about swimming across the river to collect the mail from the post office.

Dottie was an active participant in school life, singing in chorus and cheerleading. Her artistic abilities were often called upon to make posters for community activities.

She met the love of her life, Charles Harold Perry Jr. (Charlie), on her first day at the Plainfield school. Dottie and Charlie married in July 1942. Charlie enlisted in the Marines during WWII, and Dottie took on a job as a “line boy,” spinning the propellers to start planes at the Barre-Montpelier airport. She also worked as a telephone operator in Plainfield until she was able to join Charlie near the Marine base in North Carolina. She returned home to Plainfield when he shipped out to the Philippines.

At the end of the war, Charlie was able to enroll in pre-med at the University of Vermont, thanks to the GI Bill. They lived at Fort Ethan Allen. Charlie graduated with a medical degree, while Dottie raised their three children, and earned her PHT (Pushed Him Through). They moved to Barre after his graduation, where Charlie set up his general practice on Cliff Street and Dottie gave birth to their fourth child. Cliff Street became crowded, and the family moved to Delmont Avenue.

Dottie was an avid golfer and won several State Day tournaments. She met up with her four brothers annually for the “Thomas Tournament” and held her own. She was a self-taught pianist and gifted tap-dancer, often entertaining at neighborhood and family gatherings.

Charlie set up the Perry Medical Clinic with his brother John, and they remained in practice together until their respective retirements. Dottie and Charlie then spent a few winters traveling in their RV, eventually settling on Florida as a winter residence. After Charlie’s death in 1994, Dottie spent summers in South Barre, and winters in Venice, Florida. Dottie began taking acrylic and watercolor classes, producing a very large body of work. She had her first public exhibition in a group show at the Fletcher Free Library at the age of 93.

Dottie moved to Montpelier’s Westview Meadows, and met several old friends there, while making many new friends as well.

She is survived by her children, Charles H. Perry III, “Chris” and his wife Michal Barquin Perry, Susan Perry Rock and her partner Mary Ann Horn, Janice Perry, Mark Thomas Perry, five grand-children and two great-grandchildren.

A graveside service to honor and celebrate her life will be held in the Plain-Mont Cemetery in Plainfield on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. There are no calling hours.

Dottie’s family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff of Westview Meadows and Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice for their excellent and loving care.

Contributions in Dottie’s memory may be made to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641.