Fred Perry, 86, of Brownwood, Texas passed away peacefully on December 27, 2016. The youngest of five children, J. Fred was the son of Fred Milton Perry and Leola “Ola” (Dixon) Perry of Indian Creek, Texas, and the devoted husband of 64 years to Margaret (Thompson) Perry. He is survived by his wife Margaret, four sons and their wives, Milton and Dana of Brownwood, Texas, Mike and Debbie of Dallas, Texas, Martin and Mary of Denton, Texas and Mitchell and Jeralyn of Dallas, Texas, and one foster daughter and her husband, Ivy and Alan Magruder of Beaumont, Texas. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his four siblings and many of his closest friends. J. Fred and his family have been especially thankful for the hard work and close friendship of Carl Boivin. In recent years Carl frequently visited him and took him on outings in and around Brownwood.
Fred Perry was raised on a farm in the Concord area near Bangs, Texas. He graduated from Bangs High School and, in 1952 married Margaret Thompson and also earned his B.S. degree from Daniel Baker College. J. Fred entered the U.S. Air Force following graduation for a two-year commitment and trained as a pilot. Following his military service, he began a 17 year advertising and sales career at KBWD radio station in Brownwood and later became General Manager of KCRS in Midland, Texas. He returned to Brownwood from Midland in 1971 to be more actively involved in P.F. & E. Oil Company, a business formed in 1966 by J. Fred, Calvin Fryar and Truett Ellis. P.F. & E. Oil Company began as a wholesale and retail fuel distribution company, and over the years also developed, owned and operated convenience stores in and around central Texas, and a operated a packaged ice manufacturing and cold storage business, Crystal Ice Company. During his extensive business career he helped form and operate several other ventures, including Brownwood Feed and Seed. With partner Ken Schulze, he operated Big Tex Outdoor Advertising Company, Golfland miniature golf course, and KQTY, a radio station in the Texas panhandle. In 2005 he retired from P.F. & E. Oil Company, but remained active in other businesses in Brownwood, including Harris Broadband and CBF Holdings as a partner, and Brownwood Bancshares, parent company of Citizens National Bank at Brownwood, as a director.
Fred was a member of the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. He was extensively involved in the betterment of his community and state. For more than 60 years, he was a member of the Kiwanis Club, serving a term as President of the Kiwanis Club of Brownwood. In 1979, he was named Kiwanis Layman of the Year for Division 12 and in 2015, J. Fred earned the George F. Hixon Fellowship Award from the Kiwanis International Foundation. He served as a director and chairman of many boards including Brownwood Regional Medical Center, Cherokee Home for Children, Brownwood Chamber of Commerce, Brownwood Industrial Foundation, Brownwood Economic Development Corporation and Brownwood Regional Airport. J. Fred received the Lifetime Service Award from the Brownwood Chamber of Commerce in 1979, and was given the Distinguished Citizen Award by the Boy Scouts of America Texas Trails Council in 2011.
While J. Fred’s business and volunteer engagements were extensive, he also found time to travel, relax with family, fish with friends, fly the airplane he kept at Brownwood Regional Airport, and be a help and mentor to those who sought his advice and counsel. J. Fred Perry loved people and was loved dearly by his family and friends.
Services will be held Saturday, December 31st, at 10:00 a.m. at the Austin Avenue Church of Christ, Brownwood, Texas. Visitation will be Friday, December 30th, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Heartland Funeral Home in Early, Texas. Any memorial gifts may be made to Cherokee Home for Children, Cherokee, Texas.
Condolences can be offered to the family online at heartlandfuneralhome.net