E. L. Perry, Jr.

Dr E.L. Perry, Jr., age 83, was received into the loving arms of his savior, Jesus Christ, Monday, January 30, 2023. On Monday, February 6, 2023, there will be a Visitation from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. and Celebration of Life Service immediately following at 1:00 p.m. at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro, Texas. Interment will be at Richland Cemetery in Mertens, Texas. Service will be available for live streaming on the Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors website.

E.L. was born April 2, 1939, in Waxahachie, Texas to Emory Lee (Lee) and Connie Perry.  He spent his formative years in Mertens, Texas where he was a member of First Baptist Church of Mertens and was baptized.  He attended Mertens Grammar School and Frost High School, where he excelled in basketball. One of the highlights of his high school basketball career was his team making it to Bi-District and E.L. being named to the Bi-District All Star Basketball team. During his youth he worked with his father, Lee, at the Perry General Store in Mertens. He attended Navarro Junior College then transferred to the University of Texas where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in mathematics. E.L. obtained his master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois and his Doctor of Mathematics from Texas Christian University.

E.L. began his career teaching math at Navarro Junior College, then became a tenured professor teaching math at Baylor University.  He then moved to League City, Texas working at TRW as a Space Trajectory Analyst. E.L. continued this work in Colorado Springs, Colorado for Ford Aerospace. He completed his professional career with Northrop Grumman defense contractors in Montgomery, Alabama as a Military Artificial Intelligence and Strategic Planner. Throughout his career his passion was teaching, which he continued at Faulkner University.  E.L. loved being a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and mentor to many. His other great joys were the Astros, Spurs, UT Basketball and Football, and his many adored animals.

He loved coaching his daughters in Little League Softball, Youth Basketball and tennis in Waco, Texas and League City, Texas. In Alabama, E.L. was actively involved in his church ministries, including Upward Basketball for disadvantaged youth.

E.L. is preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Connie Perry and stepmother Ola Mae Perry. He is survived by his wife Dee Perry; brother, Conley Perry and wife Charlotte; daughters, Laura Perry Diaz, Holly Johnson and husband Craig, Lisa Rogers and husband Dwain; grandchildren, Rachel Morehead, Rebecca Remmert and husband Dillon, Benjamin Johnson, Nicholas Johnson, Nick Rogers, Natalie Rogers and Avery Rogers; great-grandson Lukas Remmert. He loved his nieces, nephews and many other family and friends.

In lieu of flowers the family encourages donations to First Baptist Church Mertens, 100 Stroud St S. Mertens, TX 76666.