Emma Perry, 104, died Friday, August 5, 2005, at Hendrick Medical Center.
Services celebrating her life will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2005, at First Christian Church, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory with Dr. Tom Lyda and Dr. Chris Diebel officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be William S. Perry, Jr., Michael Perry, Alan Moore, Phil Ytterberg, Kent Alger, Nelson Alger, Harrison Alger, and William Perry. The family will receive friends at a visitation 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday at the downtown funeral home.
Emma was born February 4, 1901 to Sara Amanda (Umbarger) and William S. Swanger in Coffee County, Tennessee. Her grandfather was Jasper Umbarger who was Robert E. Lee’s personal aide-de-camp. As an infant, Emma and her family traveled to Texas in a covered wagon. She attended schools in Ft. Worth and also Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing School. In 1918, she worked as the head overseas telephone operator helping to communicate the end of WWI. Emma married Litt S. Perry on August 10, 1926 in Ft. Worth, Texas. They moved to Abilene that same year. She became the first comptometer operator in Abilene and taught classes on this subject at Draughn’s Business School. Emma also worked for Musser Lumber Company and West Texas Utilities as an office clerk and secretary. Emma and her husband owned and operated Perry Dental Lab in Abilene until the mid 1950’s when they started the First Christian Hispanic Mission. Litt was a lay minister and the Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Texas. Emma was a charter member of Cora Posey O.E.S., a member of Social Order Beauceant, and a member of First Christian Church. She was the oldest living breast cancer survivor in North America and the last to pass away of the ten children in her family.
Emma was preceded in death by her parents; nine brothers and sisters; her husband, Litt S. Perry, in 1964; an infant daughter, Joan Marie Perry on May 1, 1930; a son, William S. Perry in 1989; and a daughter, Ruby La Zelle Moore in 1989.
Survivors include six grandchildren, Melissa Alger of Eagle River, Alaska, Marci Ytterberg of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Michael Perry and Lindsay K. Perry, both of Abilene; thirteen great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Debbie Perry, of Abilene; and a son-in-law, Kenneth Moore of Woodlands, Texas.
Memorials may be sent to First Christian Church, 1420 North 3rd, Abilene, Texas 79601; the American Cancer Society, P. O. Box 41, Abilene, Texas 79604; or the American Heart Association, 149 North Willis, Suite #10, Abilene, Texas 79603.
Services celebrating her life will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2005, at First Christian Church, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory with Dr. Tom Lyda and Dr. Chris Diebel officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be William S. Perry, Jr., Michael Perry, Alan Moore, Phil Ytterberg, Kent Alger, Nelson Alger, Harrison Alger, and William Perry. The family will receive friends at a visitation 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday at the downtown funeral home.
Emma was born February 4, 1901 to Sara Amanda (Umbarger) and William S. Swanger in Coffee County, Tennessee. Her grandfather was Jasper Umbarger who was Robert E. Lee’s personal aide-de-camp. As an infant, Emma and her family traveled to Texas in a covered wagon. She attended schools in Ft. Worth and also Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing School. In 1918, she worked as the head overseas telephone operator helping to communicate the end of WWI. Emma married Litt S. Perry on August 10, 1926 in Ft. Worth, Texas. They moved to Abilene that same year. She became the first comptometer operator in Abilene and taught classes on this subject at Draughn’s Business School. Emma also worked for Musser Lumber Company and West Texas Utilities as an office clerk and secretary. Emma and her husband owned and operated Perry Dental Lab in Abilene until the mid 1950’s when they started the First Christian Hispanic Mission. Litt was a lay minister and the Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Texas. Emma was a charter member of Cora Posey O.E.S., a member of Social Order Beauceant, and a member of First Christian Church. She was the oldest living breast cancer survivor in North America and the last to pass away of the ten children in her family.
Emma was preceded in death by her parents; nine brothers and sisters; her husband, Litt S. Perry, in 1964; an infant daughter, Joan Marie Perry on May 1, 1930; a son, William S. Perry in 1989; and a daughter, Ruby La Zelle Moore in 1989.
Survivors include six grandchildren, Melissa Alger of Eagle River, Alaska, Marci Ytterberg of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Michael Perry and Lindsay K. Perry, both of Abilene; thirteen great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Debbie Perry, of Abilene; and a son-in-law, Kenneth Moore of Woodlands, Texas.
Memorials may be sent to First Christian Church, 1420 North 3rd, Abilene, Texas 79601; the American Cancer Society, P. O. Box 41, Abilene, Texas 79604; or the American Heart Association, 149 North Willis, Suite #10, Abilene, Texas 79603.
Emma Perry, 104, died Friday, August 5, 2005, at Hendrick Medical Center.
Services celebrating her life will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2005, at First Christian Church, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory with Dr. Tom Lyda and Dr. Chris Diebel officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be William S. Perry, Jr., Michael Perry, Alan Moore, Phil Ytterberg, Kent Alger, Nelson Alger, Harrison Alger, and William Perry. The family will receive friends at a visitation 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday at the downtown funeral home.
Emma was born February 4, 1901 to Sara Amanda (Umbarger) and William S. Swanger in Coffee County, Tennessee. Her grandfather was Jasper Umbarger who was Robert E. Lee’s personal aide-de-camp. As an infant, Emma and her family traveled to Texas in a covered wagon. She attended schools in Ft. Worth and also Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing School. In 1918, she worked as the head overseas telephone operator helping to communicate the end of WWI. Emma married Litt S. Perry on August 10, 1926 in Ft. Worth, Texas. They moved to Abilene that same year. She became the first comptometer operator in Abilene and taught classes on this subject at Draughn’s Business School. Emma also worked for Musser Lumber Company and West Texas Utilities as an office clerk and secretary. Emma and her husband owned and operated Perry Dental Lab in Abilene until the mid 1950’s when they started the First Christian Hispanic Mission. Litt was a lay minister and the Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Texas. Emma was a charter member of Cora Posey O.E.S., a member of Social Order Beauceant, and a member of First Christian Church. She was the oldest living breast cancer survivor in North America and the last to pass away of the ten children in her family.
Emma was preceded in death by her parents; nine brothers and sisters; her husband, Litt S. Perry, in 1964; an infant daughter, Joan Marie Perry on May 1, 1930; a son, William S. Perry in 1989; and a daughter, Ruby La Zelle Moore in 1989.
Survivors include six grandchildren, Melissa Alger of Eagle River, Alaska, Marci Ytterberg of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Michael Perry and Lindsay K. Perry, both of Abilene; thirteen great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Debbie Perry, of Abilene; and a son-in-law, Kenneth Moore of Woodlands, Texas.
Memorials may be sent to First Christian Church, 1420 North 3rd, Abilene, Texas 79601; the American Cancer Society, P. O. Box 41, Abilene, Texas 79604; or the American Heart Association, 149 North Willis, Suite #10, Abilene, Texas 79603.
Services celebrating her life will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2005, at First Christian Church, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory with Dr. Tom Lyda and Dr. Chris Diebel officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be William S. Perry, Jr., Michael Perry, Alan Moore, Phil Ytterberg, Kent Alger, Nelson Alger, Harrison Alger, and William Perry. The family will receive friends at a visitation 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday at the downtown funeral home.
Emma was born February 4, 1901 to Sara Amanda (Umbarger) and William S. Swanger in Coffee County, Tennessee. Her grandfather was Jasper Umbarger who was Robert E. Lee’s personal aide-de-camp. As an infant, Emma and her family traveled to Texas in a covered wagon. She attended schools in Ft. Worth and also Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing School. In 1918, she worked as the head overseas telephone operator helping to communicate the end of WWI. Emma married Litt S. Perry on August 10, 1926 in Ft. Worth, Texas. They moved to Abilene that same year. She became the first comptometer operator in Abilene and taught classes on this subject at Draughn’s Business School. Emma also worked for Musser Lumber Company and West Texas Utilities as an office clerk and secretary. Emma and her husband owned and operated Perry Dental Lab in Abilene until the mid 1950’s when they started the First Christian Hispanic Mission. Litt was a lay minister and the Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Texas. Emma was a charter member of Cora Posey O.E.S., a member of Social Order Beauceant, and a member of First Christian Church. She was the oldest living breast cancer survivor in North America and the last to pass away of the ten children in her family.
Emma was preceded in death by her parents; nine brothers and sisters; her husband, Litt S. Perry, in 1964; an infant daughter, Joan Marie Perry on May 1, 1930; a son, William S. Perry in 1989; and a daughter, Ruby La Zelle Moore in 1989.
Survivors include six grandchildren, Melissa Alger of Eagle River, Alaska, Marci Ytterberg of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Michael Perry and Lindsay K. Perry, both of Abilene; thirteen great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Debbie Perry, of Abilene; and a son-in-law, Kenneth Moore of Woodlands, Texas.
Memorials may be sent to First Christian Church, 1420 North 3rd, Abilene, Texas 79601; the American Cancer Society, P. O. Box 41, Abilene, Texas 79604; or the American Heart Association, 149 North Willis, Suite #10, Abilene, Texas 79603.
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