CATHERINE B. PERRY
“Mrs. Perry”
Catherine “Kay” Perry, 91, passed away peacefully on February 5th, 2015 at the Mary Immaculate Nursing Home in Lawrence after her long battle with Alzheimer’s. Kay, a lifelong resident of Lawrence, was the daughter of the late John and Margaret Bresnahan of Dorchester St. in So. Lawrence, and the darling wife of the late Warren J. Perry, Sr.
Kay attended St. Patrick’s Grammar/High School and was Valedictorian, Class of 1941. She was the recipient of a four year scholarship to Emmanuel College where she majored in Chemistry and minored in Physics. After graduation, she became a Chemist at the Oxford Paper Company, where she met her loving husband. Kay and Warren Sr. were married in 1950 at her home Parish of St Patrick’s and together they settled in Lawrence to live and raise their family.
When her youngest child went to school, Kay began her teaching career in the Lawrence area. She was offered a position as 4th grade teacher at St. Mary’s Grammar School. After the devastating school’s fire in February 1967, she took a position in St. Mary’s High School as a science teacher. During her 23 years teaching at St. Mary’s, Kay became the cherished teacher to thousands of young women. She was well known for so many enlightening lessons that included a large array of subjects over her 23 years. Some highlights were her notorious “Marriage and the Family” and her own developed elective of “Physiology/Embryology”.
During her children’s youth, she was an active member of the Scouting Community, assisting her husband as a Den Mother and as the Cookie Chairman for the Girl Scouts. She became the moderator of endless functions and sports programs over her career at SMH. She was honored by her students with 3 year book dedications in her SMH career.
At a very young age Kay found much comfort in her Catholic Faith, she continued this strong passion throughout her life and shared her religious teachings with her family and friends. Kay demonstrated her faith through her actions and became both a Eucharistic Minister and Lector at St. Mary’s Church. But Kay’s proudest accomplishment was when, with the sponsorship of her dear friend Sr. Mary Anderson, SND, she dedicated her life and faith to the organization designed for lay people, The Associates of the Sisters of Notre Dame. She was also very proud of being a first generation American and enjoyed two trips to Ireland with her family to explore her heritage. Later in her life she became an active member of Lawrence’s LAOH Division 08, and was an active member for several years, holding the offices of Secretary and later President. In 2000 she was the recipient of the Hibernian’s Woman of the Year Award.
Kay was predeceased by her son Warren J. Perry Jr. and is survived by her son, John F. Perry of Lawrence, and her daughters, Christine A. Perry of Atlantic Beach, FL, Ellen M. Perry and Patricia A. Pizzillo of Centerville, MA., and Catherine Perry Sullivan and Clare P. Sullivan of Caldwell, NJ. Kay was the proud grandmother of Warren III, Frank Perry (Shelly) of Nashua, NH, Julie Allen (Jamie) of Salem, NH, Jennifer Perry of Manchester, NH and Joel Perry (Jocelyn) of Pelham, NH and 9 great-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to call on Monday, February 16th, 2015 from 4:00 to 8:00 at the John Breen Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., 122 Amesbury Street, Lawrence, MA. Her funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Saint Mary’s Church in Lawrence, MA and burial will follow in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence, MA. For online condolences and other information please visit us at www.breenfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA, 02472.