Anthony Martin “Tony” Perry died January 2 at the age of 63.
Tony’s obituary in the Elizabethton STAR was full of information — a successful student and athlete at Cloudland High School, attended Gallaudet University and East Tennessee State University, and was a pet lover. He had worked on the Viaduct in Linville, N.C., and had been employed by the Carter County School Maintenance Dept.
But, there was much more to know about Tony according to family and friends. Tony was deaf, as was his brother, Joseph Roderick Perry, who preceded him in death. Tony lost his hearing when he was only three or four years old and became an excellent lip reader. From the time he was a young boy and throughout his life, he was a sports enthusiast. He played only one year of football, but played three years of high school baseball, and according to a couple of his former coaches, he was a “pretty good” athlete. He closely followed not only Cloudland sports teams and athletics, but all Carter County high schools.
“At one time he could tell you every student athlete on each county high school team, what position they played, their stats, etc.,” said his sister, Norma Lee Winters.
After graduating from Cloudland High, Tony attended Gallaudet University, a school for the deaf in Washington, D.C., for a year and returned home to attend classes at East Tennessee State University.
Tony had lots of friends in the upper Shell Creek Community, who called him “Bigfoot,” because he and his brother claimed to have seen the American folklore beast. He never did quit looking for the animal, said to have lived in the woods.
“Although he had lots of problems, not only his inability to hear, but he was bi-polar or schizophrenic, and spent much of his adult life in group homes, Tony led an amazing life. He was a good person and would do anything for anyone. I feel our mental health system failed him and he did not get the help he needed,” his sister shared.
“Tony often heard voices that were very real to him, and he had a very colorful imagination. He was an avid reader. He read everything he could get his hands on, and he wrote a lot. He kept a journal,” said Mrs. Winters.
The boy, friends called “Big Foot,” also loved politics and kept up with what was happening in government. “He was a Republican and would not vote any other way. He had no choice. His uncle was Lloyd Perry, former chairman of the Carter County Republican Party and long-time clerk and master of Chancery Court in Carter County,” said Norma.
She described Tony as a super student, who excelled in whatever he did. He especially enjoyed reading and writing. He loved being around people and was a very gentle person. “He was really a nice somebody,” was how Norma described her brother. Tony’s obituary noted he had a great sense of humor and his “jovial spirit kept his family laughing and allowed him to make friends quickly.”
Norma shared that when she suffered from a back injury a few years ago, Tony for about six weeks came every morning to check on her. “He would make me a cup of coffee, and then leave,” she said.
Although much of his work after finishing school was menial, Tony took great pride in what he did. “When he worked on the viaduct, he worked in concrete, carrying the dry compound and mixing it. Later he worked for the school system helping Brown Hyder deliver commodities,” Norma shared.
When he was younger, he sold the Grit paper, from the time he was about 12 and through high school.
Tony did not begin having mental problems until he was grown, and at times his problems grew bigger than him, forcing him to take high-powered medicines to keep him calm. Later, he developed cataracts, which hindered him from reading lips and communicating with others.
“There are not a lot of resources for the blind and deaf. We worked hard to find resources for him. He didn’t have the luxury of having deaf friends close,” Norma said.
He helped fill the void in his life with pets. “He always had a dog. His last dog was Bandit, who was old and sickly and had to be put down,” said Norma.
Tony died at the Center for Aging and Health in Erwin, where he had been since about July.
In addition to Norma, Tony is survived by another sister, Julia Ford of Boone, N.C.
He was laid to rest in the Perry Cemetery in the Shell Creek Community…and, who knows, Big Foot may be roaming close by.
One thing for sure, he would be anxiously awaiting the inauguration of Donald J. Trump on Friday. That was his brand of politics.