Life Story: Mary Perry, 95; Longtime Township Resident
Mary Perry passed away on Monday evening at Willow Creek Care Center in Somerset. She was 95 years old.
Mrs. Perry was born in Brooklyn and lived in Jersey City and Lawrence Harbor before moving to Somerset 45 years ago.
She was a Past President of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary of Post 25 in Milltown. She loved cooking, spending time with her grandchildren and doing crossword puzzles. She had a lengthy career in Accounting at Merrill Lynch in Somerset, Ayerest in South Plainfield and Barbie’s Distributing in Perth Amboy. She retired at the age of 65.
Mrs. Perry was predeceased by her first husband William Beckner along with a daughter Linda Beckner; her siblings Mike Rucci, Ann Perry, Jack Rucci, and Nicholas Rucci; and her granddaughter Debbie Koehl.
She is survived by her husband Benjamin F. Perry of Somerset; her children, Margery Koehl and her husband William of Blairstown, Rita Wolanin and her husband Gene of Clearwater, Fl., and Richard Perry of Somerset. She is also survived by her siblings Frank Rucci and his wife Dolores of Whitehouse Station, Rose Mary Way-Shiell and Jean Murphy both of Texas, her grandchildren Margery, Lisa, Charlene, Will, Silva, Laura and Nicole and her 18 great grandchildren.
Visiting will take place from 4-8 p.m. April 19 at Gleason Funeral Home 1360 Hamilton St. A funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. April 20 at the funeral home. Committal services will follow at Crest Haven Memorial Park. Contributions in Mrs. Perry’s name may be made to the American Legion Post 25 Ladies Auxiliary 4 J F Kennedy Drive Milltown, NJ 08850.