Kenneth H.

Perley

Quietly Patriotic

Kenneth Herbert Perley died on May 3 at Ashlar of Newtown after a short battle with lung cancer. He was surrounded by his family when he quietly took his final breath just one month after celebrating his 89th birthday.

Mr Perley was born in April 4, 1919, the third of four sons born to Margaret (Batchelor) and Charles Perley of Huntington.

He is survived by his daughter, Marcia (Perley) Hicks of Southbury; two granddaughters, Shannon Hicks of Newtown and Christy (Hicks) Spinelli and her husband, Louis, of Middlebury; two great-grandchildren, Danielle and Cory Spinelli; several nieces and nephews, and many friends, including fellow residents and the staff of Ashlar, where he had lived since December 2002.

On October 11, 1941, Mr Perley married Elizabeth (“Betty”) Rehnborg, and they moved to Derby. Together they raised two children, a son, Kenneth, and a daughter, Marcia. The Perleys celebrated their 60th anniversary in October 2001.

Mr Perley worked much of his early life on farms, including the family farm on Lane Street in Huntington, and also worked during his lifetime in a textile mill, in a foundry, for American Brass, and for a long stretch for Bridgeport Hydraulic as a reservoir overseer.

A World War II veteran, Mr Perley served in the US Army from 1944 to 1946, and remained in the reserves for three years beyond that. He was a member of the 66th Infantry (Panther) Division, based in Fort Benning, Ga. He was a survivor of the SS Leopoldville, a Belgian troopship that had 2,235 troops onboard when it was crossing the English Channel on Christmas Eve 1944 and was torpedoed by a German submarine and sunk, killing 763 young men.

Mr Perley was quietly patriotic, making sure to fly an American flag at his home every day — being sure to take it down before sunset — his entire life. He taught his children and grandchildren to respect the flag through his example.

The Perleys moved to Maine in 1971, and Ken worked with his wife as caretaker of Fernald Shore in Lebanon, Maine. He later ran the print shop at Nasson College in Springvale, Maine, while his wife worked in the adjacent office as a switchboard operator and mailroom clerk. After Ken and Betty moved into East Lebanon and then Sanford, Maine, Mr Perley returned to his native state of Connecticut in 2002, shortly after losing his wife in February of that year.

Family and friends will remember a man who always seemed to be whistling, and who usually listened rather than spoke, but had a very good sense of humor when he chose to share it. Ken will be remembered for his endless enjoyment of watching planes take off and land for hours on end (and held a private pilot’s license for a few years), and for his fascination with trains. Mr Perley enjoyed woodworking, often carving and creating objects that his wife would then paint and decorate to finish. He also liked watching golf and baseball, especially if the Red Sox were playing.

Mr Perley was predeceased by his wife of 60 years; his son, Ken; his three brothers and his parents; and a son-in-law, Robert Gene Hicks.

A memorial service to celebrate Mr Perley’s life is being planned for Saturday, May 17 (Armed Forces Day), at 10 am, at Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street. All are welcome.

For those who wish, donations may be sent in Mr Perley’s name to the American Cancer Society, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897-2523.

The Newtown Bee        May 9, 2008