Obituary of Violet Herrera Perry

Violet Herrera Perry, 88, passed away June 24, 2019 in Lacey, Washington.  She was born November 10, 1930 to Caroline Ernestine Herrera in Los Angeles, California.

In 1948, Violet graduated from Santa Paula High School in Santa Paula, California.  She attended the Latin American Bible Institute in Los Angeles for two years in Spanish. She married Edward Spencer Perry on January 26, 1964 in the Naval Chapel, U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, California.

Professionally, Violet was a “Jack of All Trades” in Support at the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer’s School at Port Hueneme, California (1959-1964); ran the Graduate Records Office for the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois (1964-1966); and was a diamond jewelry designer and top salesperson at Farrar Jewelers in Redlands, California (1975-1987).

Violet was dedicated to serving others and helping those in need.  Among the things she did was running many estate sales for people downsizing or moving into assisted living and for families of deceased individuals.  She also worked with Immigration to help a couple wanting to bring their children from Mexico to the U.S. 

Violet was a member of the University United Methodist Church in Redlands, California (1972-2000), where she was a Sunday School teacher for pre-school children and actively participated in other church activities.  She was a board member of the Young Women’s Christian Association in Redlands, California (1969-1980) where she helped run rummage sales; organized and directed a YWCA-sponsored teenage drill team of more than 50 girls (1971-1980); and for many years was involved in organizing and directing a crew of volunteers for benefit Mexican dinners for over 200 people.

Violet was a member of the Redlands Symphony Association in the early 1970s. As a member of the Redlands Contemporary (Women’s) Club (1970-2001), she coordinated the junior women of the club, both locally and at district, and ran the annual rummage sales.  She also ran a huge rummage sale for a Redlands Kiwanis friend.  As a member of the First United Methodist Church of Olympia, Washington (2002-2019), Violet ran the antiques and collectables tables at the United Methodist Women’s huge annual rummage sale (2007-2014), and served with her husband as kitchen coordinators for several years.

Violet enjoyed trips with her husband and children in their Recreation Vehicles.  Violet drove a motorhome for the first and only time when her husband was on a business trip in order to take the children to the beach.  Their first RV was a 17-foot self-contained travel trailer.  When asked, “Isn’t that awfully cramped?” she responded, “I have two rooms and a bath with one room as big as all outdoors.”

Violet had a great sense of humor.  When she needed a bilateral mastectomy with implants, the following interchange took place with the surgeon:

Doctor:  Mrs. Perry--that is how the operation goes.  If you decide you want me to do the operation, please call the office.

Violet:    I want to go ahead with the operation.

Doctor:  Then let’s schedule the operation now.

Violet:    But first, my husband has a request.

Doctor:  What is his request, Mrs. Perry?

Violet:    He wants you to put a zipper under each breast.

Doctor (incredulously): What?

Violet:    He says if I ever leave him, he wants his implants back. (Insurance paid for everything, except the implants.)

That broke the doctor up and they had the greatest relationship from then on.

Violet is survived by her husband, Edward Spencer Perry of Olympia, Washington; daughter, Heidi Perry Wiggins of Lacey, Washington; grandchildren, Natasha Lynn Coumbs, Riley Ann Townsend, Rudolf Edward Wagner, and Todd Josef “TJ” Wagner; great grandchild, Hensley Rainier Coumbs; and brothers, Robert J. Herrera and William R. Herrera both of Santa Paula, California.  She was predeceased by her son, Robert Spencer Perry; mother, Caroline Ernestine Herrera; and brothers, John D. Herrera Jr. and Steven J. Herrera.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 27, 2019, 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Olympia, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia, WA 98501.

Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or online by clicking HERE and then clicking on “Get Involved” – “Donate.”