Mary Louise Perra née Jackson
On Friday, March 4, 2022, Mary Louise Perra, loving wife and mother of three passed away at
the age of 90.
Mary was born on May 14, 1931 in Keyser, West Virginia to Clarence and Alma Jackson. After
attending college at Potomac State she ventured to New York City on her own at the age of 23.
There she worked for American Airlines where she met Arthur Perra one night and said "he's for
me". They married in 1959 and were inseparable for 62 years, until November of 2021 when he
passed at home with her by his side. His favorite song for her was "Hello Mary Lou, Goodbye
Heart".
During their long life together, her husband's career took them across the country, living in San
Francisco, Connecticut, Florida, Arizona, and finally Virginia. Mary recreated her life many times
for these moves, working as a reservations agent, salesperson, administrative assistant, and
floral designer—but she excelled in the role of mother and grandmother.
She was amazing at both roles, never too busy to spend time with her children and
grandchildren, making crafts, baking, and teaching us about life. She hand-made the best
Halloween costumes, always had everyone's favorite foods waiting when they came to visit,
and was a willing and eager listener of the stories of their lives.
Mary never left the house without a complete ensemble including matching shoes, purse, hat,
and outfit. She never met a stranger and loved to talk to people. A meticulous record keeper
and the family historian, she spent years compiling the family genealogy back to the 1700's
and traveled all over the country researching records, long before they were easy to find online.
She was the world's best gift recipient, saying "Oh! I've always wanted one of these!" no matter
the gift. She was one of the funniest (often unintentionally) members of the family, with a sense
of humor that made everyone laugh.
Together, Mary Lou and Art had three children, Arthur Edward Perra III (Marianne), Suzanne
Marie Scott (Randall), and Jon Michael Perra (Colleen). They were blessed with six
grandchildren, Taylor Jackson, Jordan Abell, Morgan Marie, Kelly Marie, Ethan Arthur, and
Chloe Elizabeth, and one great-grandchild, Jackson Joseph.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband Arthur, her father, Clarence, her mother, Alma as
well as her brother Bernard.
There will be a family celebration of life for both Mary Lou and Arthur later at the home of her
daughter in Gloucester, Virginia.