John Robert Perrin, 89, of Austin passed away at Sacred Heart Hospice on Aug. 9, 2008 after a recent illness.
He was born April 30, 1919 in St. Paul, Minn., to Lona L. and Neva (Airy) Perrin of Maryville, Mo. John graduated from St. Paul Central High in 1937. He was inducted into the Army in 1941 and served with the 14th Armored Division in France and Germany until 1946. He continued to serve his country in the Reserve Corps until his retirement as a Colonel in 1979.
Following his active duty from the Army, he moved to Austin and met Dolores C. Huinker. They were married June 22, 1946. Dolores died Sept. 11, 1968 of cancer.
John was a Central Office Foreman for the N.W. Bell Telephone Company in Austin for 35 years. There he met Marcella Schaefer of Adams, Minn., and they were married on Dec. 20, 1975.
John was a member of the Austin American Legion, the Elks Club of Austin and Christ Episcopal Church. He loved to fish and golf and was an avid amateur genealogist. He and his wife, Marci, spent many winters in Gulf Shores, Ala., after their retirements.
John is survived by his spouse of 32 years, Marcella; daughter, Patricia (Russell) Smidt, Austin; sons, James (Joanie) Perrin, Austin, Steven (Terri), San Diego, Calif.; grandchildren, Mischa, Seth, Alexandra, Michael, Christine, Jennifer and Erin; 12 great-grandchildren; younger sister, Alice (Lyon), Billings, Mont.; older brother, Franklin Perrin, Lacey, Wash., nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores; his parents; younger brother, Douglas Perrin; brother-in-law, Robert Lyon and sister-in-law, Jeanne Perrin.
A memorial service will be held at Christ Episcopal Church in Austin, Minnesota on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008 at 1 p.m. and will be officiated by Rev. Scott Monson. Burial will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in St. Paul, Minn. John will be missed by his family and by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, memorials to a charity of the donor’s choice are desired. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.